The Way It Should Have Been
by EvilAngeal
Summary: Suppose that somewhere someone made an error when putting together the teams, what if Naruto was in the same group as Hinata? HinaNaru Rated T for Safety. Latest Chapter 10: The Forest of Death, Part I
1. Team 4

**The Way It Should Have Been**

Summary

Suppose that somewhere someone made an error when putting together the teams, what if Naruto was in the same group as Hinata? HinaNaru

Introduction

This FanFic beings as Iruka-Sensei is reading out the teams, unlike the true turn of events, my story puts Naruto, Sakura and Hinata in the same team. This is my first fan fiction so I am going to welcome all criticism, even if it's something small, I'd rather know please, I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto

Chapter 1 – Team 4

Naruto entered the classroom, it was already half full, he scanned the room to see if there was anyone he wanted to sit by. He quickly realised there wasn't anyone in his class that filled that description, well except for Sakura, but she wasn't here yet, and she'd only want to sit next to Sasuke. He sighed at this and found himself a seat on the end, hoping someone annoying didn't sit next to him. Then Sakura and Ino burst through the doors, literally.

"I'M HERE FIRST!" they both shouted, puffing and panting.

Sakura spotted Sasuke and ran over to him.

"Ugh, good morning Sasuke" She said shyly. His only reply was a momentary look up.

"Do you er, mind if I sit next to you?" She asked quietly

"No wait I beat you here, which means I get to sit next to Sasuke!" Ino claimed.

Naruto, sat there, watch almost every girl in the room argue over who gets to sit next to Sasuke. He couldn't understand it, why Sasuke?? "_I'm just as good as him, but I don't ignore everyone! I mean sure he scores higher grades, but I can do things he can't do too!"_

After a few minutes Iruka-Sensei arrived and calmed the situation down.

"As of today you are all ninja's to get here you faced difficult trials and hardships. But that's nothing, what comes next will be far more difficult. For now you are only Genin, first level ninja's, So we will put you in 3-man squads, each squad lead by a Jounin, an elite ninja."

Instantly the entire class broke into conversation, people decided who they wanted in their teams, and who they didn't want. Naruto could have sworn he hears his name a few times, but also he heard the words, "defiantly not" before it, he groaned at this.

"Well, I want to be with Sakura, and well, I don't care who the other person is, so long as it's not Sasuke" He thought to himself

"We wanted each team to have a balance of strengths and abilities, so that how we arranged them" Explained Iruka, cutting through the noise of the class

"Now, I'm going to announce the squads"

"_Great_" Naruto thought, "_I don't get any say at all._" He waited for his name to be called out "Team 1? Nope well I don't really like them, Team 2 maybe? Hmm, maybe I'm be waiting here awhile, after all they save the best for last"

"Team 4" Iruka Continued "Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno…"

"ALRIGHT!" He brust out

"_I'm doomed!_" Sakura Thought to herself

"…Hinata Hyuga" Iruka finished

"_I'm, I'm with Naruto-Kun_" Hinata frantically thought, although it was the only person she wanted to be with, now that this was true, she was in a panic. "_But what if I'm too weak? What if I can't find the strength to keep up with him? He'll just think I'm nothing_" The panic was really beginning to strike into Hinata's heart. She gulped, "_I'll just have to do my best_" She finally decided.

Team 7 was Shino, Kiba and Sasuke

Team 9 was Ino, Choji and Shikamaru

When they were finally released, Sakura stormed out of the class room, she had the worst team ever, a raging loudmouth and someone who barely talk due to her nerves.

"Hardly the perfect ninja squad" she thought.

"SAKURA!" Naruto called after her. She froze

"What do you want Naruto?!"

"Ugh, I was just wondering if you want to eat something to each, y'know since we're team mates we should probably get to know each other a little better"

Hinata crept up behind him twiddling her first in front of her as he was saying this.

"What?! Why would I have lunch with you? How could that thought ever cross your mind?!"

"But we're in the same group so I just thought that.."

"Naruto, you're annoying!" She spat as she continued hurrying off

"_This is it, I could ask him if he wants to have lunch with me, I mean we are in the same team like he said_" Hinata thought

"Um, er, Na-Naruto?" She barely whisphered, already she could feel a strong blush come on

Naruto span round at the mention of his name

"Oh, hey Hinata, what you doing?"

"N-Nothing…" Hinata's heart was beating fast now "I-I was w-wondering, maybe if you, you er want to maybe" Now in a panic she couldn't seem to get out the words "_have lunch with me_"

"What is it Hinata?" Naruto finally asked, he couldn't work out what she wanted

"Say, you look really red, are you alright?"

"Y-yes, Naruto-kun"

"Hmm, are you sure?"

"O-of course" turning slightly away from him so he couldn't see it was really a blush

"Hm, well if you forgot I'm going to get some lunch" He said, and with that we walked away

"Oh, Okay" She whispered after him "_This is no good, I can even get the courage to talk to him, how am I going to be able to fight along side him? But, he asked me if I was okay, this means he cares doesn't it?_" She headed home to get some lunch, her mind drifting over what happened and wondering how she might approach this next time.

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Now Hinata, Naruto and Sakura were waiting for their new sensei along with the rest of their original class. Sakura was using this time to make another attempt at Sasuke, who, as she though had no interest whatsoever. While Naruto and Hinata sat at the same table, Hinata twiddling her fingers watching Naruto from the corner of her eyes. While Naruto sat there hand on his face generally in a bad mood because Sakura wanted nothing to do with him, to him with her everything was Sasuke this and Sasuke that, needless to say, it really bugged him.

As the new senseis came for their groups only two teams remained, Naruto's and Sasuke. Neither Naruto nor Sasuke was remotely amused by this for the exact same reason, Sakura.

Finally the door slid open and a woman walked in, she had long dark hair and deep red eyes.

"Hello" She said smiling "I'm here for Group 4, looks like I'm a little bit late sorry about that, I'm Kurenai Yuhi"

"Hey, why are you so late sensei?" Naruto asked

"I'm not that late I've seen the others on their way out" she replied, slightly annoyed "Anyway" she smirked "Kakashi's group will be there awhile yet"

"Huh, why?"

"Lets just say, Kakashi isn't know for arriving promptly"

While the group follow their new sensei she too them to a park bench they told then to take a seat.

"Okay, first this for us to do is to introduce ourselves, so I'll go first the show you what kind of thing I want from you. I'm Kurenai Yuhi, the things I like are shōchū, sake, salted octopus, and drinking a glass of wine at night, things I dislike, cake. My dreams for the future, well for now I want to help our Genin become better ninja's. My hobbies… well you get the idea. Okay ladies first"

"Ok, my name is Sakura Haruno, I like, Sasuke Uchiha, my dreams for the future, that's Sasuke too, and my hobbies, are er, lets see, training?"

"What about your dislikes?"

"Naruto"

"Ugh, Sakura-chan…?" he looked down in depression.

"Naruto-kun…." Hinata whispered under her breath

Kurenai simply giggled to this

"Ok, next"

"Um, I'm H-Hinata Hyuga, I like, umm" Blushing a strong pink "well, I like, senzai. I dislike eel" At this point she had resumed twiddling her fingers while slowing growing redder "my dreams for the future…um, well to become s-stronger and my h-hobby is flower pressing."

"Okay that's good Hinata, now you" as she pointed a finger at Naruto

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki! I like instant ramen in a cup! I don't like the wait for it though. My Hobbies are trying out and sampling different kinds of ramen and comparing them! My dream for the future, is to be the greatest Hokage!! Believe it!"

Once again Kurenai giggled, "Oh I believe you alright" she said

"Okay, that'll do it for today. Tomorrow I have another test for you to take, and it's important that you pass it, anyway I don't want to spoil it for you, I need you to come back here at 7:00am tomorrow, oh and bring your ninja gear" And with that she disappeared in a poof of smoke.

"Hey, we didn't even get the ask anything about the test" Naruto complained

"Whatever I'm out of here" Sakura said, she also sped off before Naruto could make another attempt at asking her out

"Hmm, I wonder what that test is" He thought out loud "And what's at stake, I mean if it's so important that we pass" He had completely forgotten about Hinata's presence

While he though over it all Hinata could do was slowly retreat to the safety behind a tree, her blush had still not disappeared.

Eventually Naruto dashed off himself with the goal of training and ramen.

Hinata reappeared from the tree, slightly crestfallen he had not wanted to discuss the mission with her, but still she thought "From now until a long time I will be on Naruto-kun's team, which means I have plenty of time to tell him how I feel" Yes she thought, there was no need to tell him immediately. "Maybe I should wait until he recognizes me, and beings to show that he can see my strengths" Yes she had decided, she would improve and train until she earned his respect, then, maybe, she could try to get closer to him. Then she too, left for him, to prepare for the on coming test.

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End of Chapter 1, Comments, criticism and opinion are all very much appreciated


	2. The Test, Part 1

**Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto**

**The riddle obtained was not created by me**

**Chapter 2 – The Test Part 1**

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Hinata woke up early that morning, so early infact it was still dark, she thought about trying to return to sleep, this thought alone made her force herself to stand.

"_No_" She thought "_If I'm up earlier this means I can go over some techniques and train some more, but I must be careful not to overdo it, if I train too hard I will be too exhausted to do this test that Kurenai-sensei has planned_" She thought suddenly what if Naruto passed and she failed, would that mean they would get split up? She froze on the spot,

"_That wouldn't happen, would it? Iruka-sensei said that the teams needed a balance, was this test to find who really had what skills? After all we were told to bring our ninja equipment, so this isn't like the tests we had to do at the academy._" Now firmly shook up by her own thoughts she began to worry about the test that was to come, could she really complete it? She made her way into the kitchen and made herself breakfast, which she carried with her into the garden, to watch the sun rising. Slowly she became more doubtful that she could pass, as she kept thinking of the things they might have to do. She knew from Neji that this test was hard, very hard, after the day he had to do it, and heard him talking to it with her father. If only she could remember what it was, she only overheard it by accident, and now couldn't think of anything that was said. The clouds began to turn pink with the suns first light no far away, she had finished eating, despite a small breakfast, her nerves had killed her appetite.

"_No!_" She thought suddenly, "_I was put in Naruto-kun's group, and I'll fight will all my strength to stay here_". She reminded herself she wasn't a child anymore, she was a Genin, a ninja, and she had to overcome this trail, no matter what.

She packed her ninja equipment, making her tools where sharp, and that she had plenty of them. Then her eyes fell upon her forehead protector "_Yes, I am a ninja, just like Naruto-kun_" She picked it up, and placed it around her neck. As her left her room this time, she found a few people up already, she said her farewells to them and they wished her good luck as she set for the park.

As she arrived she found Sakura was already they, on the bench, yawning.

"Good morning Sakura" She greeted politely

"Oh, hey Hinata, say, you got any idea what this 'test' is?"

Hinata shook her head

"Oh, well I guess we'll just have to find out from Kurenai"

"What's that?" Naruto asked loudly, scaring both Sakura and Hinata as they had not heard his approach

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING CREEPING AROUND AT 7 IN THE MORNING?!" Bellowed a furious Sakura

"Um…waiting for the test?" Replied Naruto quietly

Hinata could only watch, not waiting to incur Sakura's wrath, and not wanting to upset Naruto she kept silent

"JUST DON'T DO THAT AGAIN! WHISTLE OR SOMETHING!!"

"……….Okay" replied a now frightened Naruto.

"Hey guys" Kurenai had appeared from the road and was walking towards them "Okay the test"

"Wait, before we start sensei, why is it so important if we pass, I mean what happens if we fail?" Sakura asked

"Yeah I was going to ask you before but you disappeared" Naruto added

"Oh I know, that's why I disappeared, if I told you there you would have been in bits"

To this statement all 3 grew worried faces

"Okay, well I suppose it's time I told you what's a stake, well, this test is going to decide if can truly become Genins."

Naruto's jaw dropped, Sakura's blood ran cold and Hinata simply stared.

"I hate to break it to you guys but out of the 27 graduates that have just came here, only 9 will actually be accepted as Genin, the other 18 that fail they'll be set back to the academy. To put it bluntly, this is a make it or break it test, and the chance that you'll fail is 66"

"WHAT?! After all the work to get here, now this?!" Naruto yelled

"What about the test to become Genin?! What was the point of that?" Sakura questioned angrily

"Oh, that's just a filter we use to find people who might become Genin" Kurenai explained

"B-but sensei, is-isn't this a little bit unfair?" Hinata asked, the only one of the 3 to maintain normal speaking volume

"Hmm, maybe, but if we weren't so strict we'd have more people die on the field, so try to think of it as us protecting you"

"That's hard to believe" whined Naruto "Anyway, what is our test? What do we have to do?"

"Your Test is simple, all you have to so is solve a few problems" She smiled at them "Basically you will be given a clue, you must work it out as a team, then find the next clue, until you get to the last place, didn't I tell you it was simple?"

"Yes, but what the catch?" Sakura asked

"Glad you asked, well, you have a time limit of course that is to the end of the day, oh and your working against 3 other teams, there will be 3 clues of each, the there is only 1 of the last item"

"Well do we win if we find the last thing without doing the others before it?"

"I thought you might ask that, you won't be able to get the last item if you don't get the other things first"

"Aww man, solving problems?" Naruto whined, he knew it, Sakura knew it, Hinata knew it, he wasn't going to be of much use if that's all it was

"D-don't worry Naruto-Kun" Hinata reassured him "W-we'll still pass"

"Yeah your right Hinata, I'm going to be Hokage some day, I can't let this stop me!"

She blushed, his confidence was amazing to her, even though he was faced with something he wasn't good at, he was still going to pour his heart and soul into helping complete it.

"Oh yeah I almost forgot, violence against your competitors is allowed, but you can't strike to kill" Kurenai added "We don't want any dead Genin yet"

"Well I guess that makes it a little easier" Naruto said cheerily "We can just defeat them then beat them easily to this item!" Naruto smiled his cheesy grin.

"Okay team 4, let's go" She led them out of the city, and deep into the forest until at last they cam to an opening, where others stood each group with their Jounin. As they arrived Kurenai and the other Jounin disbanded from their groups and had a conversation out of the hearing range of Naruto's group

"So, do you think we can beat them?" Naruto asked

"Why are you asking us?" Sakura question, although it's true that she didn't know him that well, he never seemed to be one to asked others there opinions

"Well, heh-heh, I'm not going to be the one solving the problems as much as you two" He stated. Which she realised was very true

"Hmm" She had a good look at their enemies "Each team has got one person who I know is really smart, this isn't looking too good"

"Ugh... r-really??" Naruto was in disbelief, he always thought Sakura was the smartest in their class, to find out they had people possibly smarter made the feeling of discomfort form a tight knot in his stomach

"W-what do y-you think we s-should do Sakura?" said Hinata who was now twiddling with her fingers

"Ugh…I think our best shot is to just solve the problems as fast as possible I mean if we fight one, then the other team will get ahead even if we win, it will be hard to catch up for us to win, plus we will be worn out from the fight"

Just as Sakura had finished saying so Kurenai returned to them pulling out an envelope and handing it to the group "Okay this is it, your first clue, hope your ready" As she handed it you Sakura "You maybe begin" She smiled.

Sakura rapidly ripped open the card within it, pull it out and began to read aloud

"Scarcely was the father in this world when the son could be found sitting on the roof………okay any idea's guys?"

There was silence, Naruto checked the other group then were both in conference with each other, seems they were as stumped as he was.

"Um, maybe, maybe it's, I mean it could be, smoke and fire?" Hinata murmured out

"Oh yeah, very good Hinata!" Sakura said delighted, she looked towards the sky as carefully as she could, but she could see no smoke, "_we needed to get to higher ground_" she thought. "Okay guys, spilt up and look for smoke in the air, meet there, okay? Naruto, you better not fall behind!" she whispered

"What?! I'll beat you there, believe it!"

"Whatever, just don't take long!"

Then ran their separate ways. Sakura ran through the tree looking of a way to get high, out of the corner of her eyes she saw neither other team had figured it out yet "_Good that gives us the advantage, and by us splitting up, they also can't just follow us._" She leaped from tree to tree until he though she found the tallest tree near her, so she climbed to the top of it and scanned the sky for smoke, she saw it! She immediately headed towards it. As she drew near she saw Hinata below her, headed for it too. "_Good that means only Naruto has to get there_"

Hinata spotted Sakura too as they were meters from the camp fire, they stopped and they reached it, looking around for the clue.

"Looking for this?" There stood Naruto, cheesy grin and holding a brown package. "Told you I'd beat you"

"G-good job N-Naruto-kun" Hinata said politely, blushing. Sakura just sighed,

"Okay you beat me, what does it say?" Naruto ripped at the package and a small metal hoop fell out onto the floor. "Naruto be careful! We may need that!"

He picked it up and examined it, while passing the card to Sakura, again she read aloud

"Very good on solving the first problem. Now this next Stage is designed to test your endurance, if you travel southeast of your location you can see a waterfall, your next clue is behind the water fall, at the top" She finished "Okay, no time to lose I guess"

As the 3 of the hurried to the waterfall it was Naruto who was the first one to ask how they were going to get it.

"Hey! How are we supposed to get that! That waterfall drop is at least 30 meters high!"

It was true thought Hinata, the only real option was to climb up behind it, but then if your back touched the waterfall it would surely pull you off. She tried looking at it from different angles to see if there was a trick to it, but it looked like there was only one way there. Even if they started at the top and moved across the side the ground was too moist to hold much weight.

"It just l-looks like we w-will have to c-climb then"

"Okay fine! No problem! I can do this don't sweat it!" Although he did his best to maintain a confident voice, he knew this would be hard. "_Hey! I'm going to be Hokage I can do this!_" His confidence restored he made him way behind the waterfall, followed by Sakura and Hinata with not-so-confident faces.

As they began the climb it became apparent that the higher you got, the tighter the gap was, Sakura clipped the water at about halfway and was dragged off, Naruto could not hold in his laughter which meant he got dragged down too, to this Sakura laughed hysterically at him. He went to climb but before Sakura held him back

"What are you doing we need this right?"

"What are you doing!? Your soaked, if you climb now you'll make it too hard for us to try again!"

"Huh?"

"Naruto! If you climb like that you'll make it all muddy and slippy, then how are we suppose to climb!?"

"Oh yeah, I guess I didn't think of that." He looked up, Hinata seemed like she was almost there "GO HINATA!" he yelled after her not realised that this made her jump causing her to lose her grip as she fell down too.

"Oh er, sorry Hinata" he said scratching the back of his head

"SORRY!? SHE ALMOST HAD IT YOU IDIOT!" She yelled furiously at him, followed by a fist.

"Ouch! Okay sorry I won't do it again!!" He apologise rubbing his cheek "Sorry Hinata, I didn't mean to scare you like that"

"Th-thanks alright N-Naruto-kun" she said soaked and freezing

"Look at her, she's freezing! NARUTO!!" Sakura threw another fist at him "What are you waiting for?!"

"Huh?"

"Your jacket!"

Hinata was rapidly getting red, he was going to put jacket his around her?

"Oh, okay its fair I guess" he reasoned "ugh, here, sorry Hinata" He said as he unzipped it and put it around her, at this put she was glowing scarlet. "_Oh Naruto-kun_" She couldn't help but smile. His jacket was warm and soft, she was very comfortable in it despite being wet and cold. She thought to herself "_this means he cares about me!"_

After a few minutes Naruto and Sakura made another attempt, while Hinata was watching comfortably in Naruto's jacket Sakura made it to where Hinata had been, perhaps 8 meters from where they now saw the envelope. Naruto this time held in laughing, hand got within inched of his hands reach. But his ninja pouch got caught tugged him slightly, causing him to fall at the last possible moment

"Brrr, why its, th-this waterrr soo coldd?" He questioned after he crawled out

"Oh N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata rushed towards him with this orange jacket

"You alright now?" he said before he took it

"Y-yes, th-thank you"

He grinned and put his jacket on, he sat down and began staring gloomily at the waterfall. Now the he though about it, there was only one envelope, and the other teams should have surely come by now

"Say Sakura, do you think only the first mission is the same? I mean I only saw one envelope and they should have come by now"

"Hmm, if there's only one up there then I guess it must be, I was beginning to wonder there they were myself" "_So why did Kurenai say that we could fight the others if were where on different paths anyway?_" she thought, but she was interrupted

"HEY I GOT IT! She looked up to see a dozen Naruto's making a ladder and creeping behind the water fall. He couldn't make it all the way up with one ladder but it let the top Naruto start climbing within feet of the envelope. Within moments they came running out with the brown package. He ran over to her and handed it to her.

"Good work Naruto" "_Again he was the one who got it, maybe he isn't THAT bad_" she thought as she opened the envelop, inside there was a card and a small metal bar, she examined it carefully, the noticed one end looked like it was suppose to the screwed into something, and the other, like it was to have something screwed in it.

"Naruto show me the metal loop that fell out of the first package"

He pulled it out and handed it to her, watch closely what she was looking at, in a hope to catch on. Meanwhile Hinata had been reading the card.

"Oh I see!" Sakura figure it out "This is going to make a key, look" she screwed the bar into the ring, "now all we need is the actual key piece, then we can find this item and complete the mission!" she only hoped the other teams hadn't figured this out yet.

"Yeah but first, can we get something to eat?" Naruto sat there his hand on his rumbling stomach.

"Ok fine, it must be lunch time anyway, the sun it at its peak" she pointed out. Besides she figure they were half way finished, plus she was actually hungry herself now she thought about it

"Alright!" Naruto burst out, checking his bag, and bringing out several candy bars

Sakura had brought out some fruit, and Hinata had brought some of her own cooking. They sat there simply enjoying food after hard, tiring work.

"_This was lovely_" Thought Sakura, sitting out doors working hard with her team, getting along, now she thought about it, this was better than what she could picture when Iruka said it would be 3 man teams. Well, Sasuke was missing, and I didn't really want Naruto in my team, but, he's actually pretty cool she thought to herself, well, he comes in useful she corrected herself when she saw he had eaten all his food before she had even eaten half an apple.

"Aww, I should've packed more food!" he moaned rummaging around his bag for more, with no luck

"Um, N-Naruto-kun, you could, I mean, If you wanted, you, could maybe have some of my f-food" Hinata pushed out, now getting redder

"Huh? You'd give some of your food to me?" he confirmed

"Um, y-yes, I mean, if-if you w-wanted" She again has to force out, now turning a even stronger red

"Wow! Thank you Hinata! Especially, after I, well made you fall in the river"

She offered him her food, He only took one, after all he didn't want to look greedy, well at least not on their first task as a team. He took a bite…

"Wow! Did you cook this?!"

"Um, y-yes, w-why? is it, is it o-ok?"

"It's delicious!" He replied happily munching away. Hinata simply watched him enjoy her cooking. Inside she was thrilled, "_He likes my cooking!_" she kept thinking, it put a huge smile on her face, a faint blush could be seen on her cheeks. Even something perhaps so small to her meant the world.

This time after Naruto finished he picked up the card and began to read it.

"What does it say?" Sakura asked after packing away the rest of her food

"Hmm" he said while looking at it carefully "umm, I think we've got someone's mail"

"What? Give it to me!" She snatched it off him, and examined it for herself. "_ugh, is this really the clue?_" She read it out loud for Hinata, who she hadn't realised had already read it

"Brother,

Come home, you'll begin to understand, find home if you love me. Our house is at our spot beyond the ridge. Remember the bottom of it? Place of my memories for the times at our lake playing together.

Madison"

"That's one weird letter, and I don't know who this Madison is either!" Naruto moaned

"Yeah, I don't have another clues" she said as she passed it to Hinata

"Y-your r-right it is a bit strange, m-maybe it's fake?" Hinata suggested

"Hmm?" Sakura thought to herself "_Of course it's fake, why would someone leave mail there?! But, how could they figure out what it's saying?_" She decided to have another look once Hinata was finished realising she hadn't a clue what to make of it. She stared at it, trying to desperately unlock its secret. Then she noticed something, it was only a slight tingle of her eye but she saw something she hadn't before, "_why are the sentences so short?_" she tried to pick out words, this letter seemed to be write for other words. "_Bingo I so got it!_" she told herself

"I got it!" she burst out, thrilled with her own genius

"What does it really say?" Naruto asked his eagerness filling up his face once more

"Hmm, you'll….Find…me…at…the…bottom…of…the…lake…?" After reading this she was discouraged once more "_that water is freezing!_"

"Okay so where's the lake?" Naruto asked, without remembering how cold the water was

"Well it's bound to be along this river so, we just need to follow it on one direction, but which one?

"I k-know, it's t-this way" Hinata said talking into her hands has she brushed her fingers together. She had meant follow the river against its current

"You know it's that way?" Sakura made sure

"Y-yes"

"Well, that was useful" Sakura said, "Lets go then" They made off against the rivers current, they had been travelling for at least 20 minutes until the came across the large opening "_This lake is huge_" Sakura thought "_So how deep is it?_"

"Ok Naruto do you want to get this one?" Sakura said cleverly, still remembering the temperature of the water

"What? Ok sure, I'll get this one myself no problem! Believe it!" he dropped his bag and dashed into the lake, he was already up to his waist before he finally realised why Sakura was so eager for him to do it

"Ah! This is Fr-freezing!" he shouting, stating the obvious. He glared back to see Sakura laughing "_Grr, well least Hinata isn't laughing at me_" He thought, which was true Hinata had her hand to her face watching Naruto with worried eyes. He slowly swam out until he got to the middle; he looked down "_Argh! This is as deep as that waterfall was climbing up! Well least this time is a simple dive, so some stupid catch like a waterfall being behind you"_ Which was true, this time he was able to obtain the metal box on the first attempt.

"L-last t-t-ime I t-trust you Sa-Sakura!" he eventually said, freezing, soaked and very uncomfortable. He handed her the box and sat down shivering

"Oh, N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata said looking at the state he was it

"H-huh? Oh I'll b-be f-f-ine don't w-w-w-orry about me H-Hinata!" He said forcing a grin

"_Naruto-kun…_" She could clearly see this wasn't the case, but could she do? Maybe she could give him her jacket? But what would he say? She thought this over, suppressing a blush of the thought of her doing so.

Sakura looked at Naruto sympathetically, she couldn't help but feel bad now she saw him shivering furiously "_Still, we did only need one person to get it, not point us all being like that, right?_" Knowing it didn't fend off her conscious anymore

"Oh look at you" she said, looking at him

"W-what? I'm f-fine! B-believe it!"

"I don't think anyone's buying it Naruto" She sat down "Alright let's rest her a minute and let you warm up"

"W-what?! B-but I c-can't slow y-you guys d-down! I won't b-become a b-burden! You g-go ahead and i-I'l catch up t-to you"

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered, freezing to the bone he wanted them to leave him so he wouldn't slow them down, this was one of the things she greatly admired him for his strength in courage. Although she really didn't want to leave him, she understood why he wanted them to go ahead, and stay Genin, but more importantly to her so they could stay a team.

"Naruto…Are you sure?" Sakura asked, also moved by his words, she smiled "Just don't take too long, according to this the next destination is where we began, and…She pullout the head piece and screwed it onto the other pieces, we now have the key!" she said grinning

"A-are you sure you'll b-be alright N-Naruto-kun" Hinata asked as the looked back

"Of c-course! S-see you s-s-soon!" he waved them, then returned she shivering and rubbing his arms

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End of Chapter 2, Comments, criticism and opinions are all very much appreciated


	3. The Tests Outcome

**Disclaimer – I not own own Naruto**

**Chapter 3 – The Tests Outcome**

As Hinata followed Sakura through the forest she couldn't help but think of Naruto-kun. "_Poor Naruto-kun, all cold and alone, he's probably going to get a cold after diving in that freezing lake_" she was upset that she didn't do it, "_After all, I'm the most useless, I haven't really done anything yet_"

"We're nearly there!" Sakura woke Hinata out of her thoughts "They might ambush us if they've figured out that they need a key!"

"Oh, d-do you think, that they might've f-found out?" Hinata asked nervously

"Probably, our advantage is that unless they already have a key of their own they won't know where to head to"

"Yeah, it's kind of lucky we just happen to cross paths then huh?" The voice can from a boy with brown hair and green eyes standing on a branch ahead of them with a smirk of his face, His two team mates appeared of either side of them. It was clear that they weren't going to leave without the key.

"Um, Sa-Sakura, what should we do?" Hinata asked scared

"YOU'RE NOW GETTING THIS, YOU CAN JUST FORGET IT!!" Sakura yelled in defiance

"Oh I think we will now, or very soon from now" the boy replied calmly

"_Grr, what can we do, fighting one on one could be hard, but we're outnumbered_" thought Sakura "_But, no matter what, they're not getting this_" she raised he fists and prepared to defend herself.

Hinata seeing this stood in her gentle fist style, she could feel herself shaking, she hand only begun to learn to use her gentle fist style with some efficiency, she could not fight for long, as she released too much chakra per hit to fight for a longer duration. Standing back to back with Sakura she could feel herself shaking.

"Haha!" a girl from Hinata's side had spotted her shaking "this one can't even fight! So much for the 'great' Hyuga clan!"

Hinata couldn't help it, she was trying desperately to stop, but she was scared. In truth she felt like she was the weakest one here "_everyone else here can fight well, but not me. How am I going to Tell Naruto-kun what I couldn't fight well, he's going to hate me for failing. I wish I had more strength!_" She then remembered this morning, she promised herself that she wouldn't lose no matter what. For Naruto-kun

"Your kidding me?" the green eyed boy said "No fair, I wanted a at least half decent fight. Well that idiot isn't here what wants to be Hokage, he'd have been fun to beat around"

He didn't even see it coming, Hinata leapt for him, by the time he realised she had advanced on him her had had already collided with his stomach. Two other fast and effective strikes he fell to the floor, unconscious "_This is it_" She thought, "_I can do this!_"

"Argh! What? He's down already?! Your mine!" The girl leapt towards Hinata. She hadn't seen it until the last moment, the girls fist was about to make contact, when Sakura came out of nowhere delivering a punch so hard it could have been for Naruto. The girl, manage to recover from it and land on a branch close safely.

"Okay then billboard brow!" She yelled. Sakura leapt to her and then engaged in taijutsu. Sakura managed to deflect the girls blow, but was hit by her kick. Through angry she managed a vicious swipe at the girl, her fist collided with her chin and knocked off the tree, and onto the floor with a thump. Sakura jumped down, but the girl had already risen and had prepared a hard kick for her in her stomach.

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Hinata turned to her enemy, a tall boy, with a wicked grin on his face. She once again rose her hands to her gentle fist pose, narrowed eyes fixed on him. He stared back, keeping his grin.

"So the Hyuga can fight" She said looking down on his comrade "But really, we both know you're very strong, all you merely achieved was a few lucky hits" he said smirking firmly

"_No" _She thought "_I must beat him_" He leapt at her, fist held back. She was unable to block it, he was too strong. The force of it sent her to the ground. Her picked herself up quickly, the boy an already landed a punch where she had been lying, she faced her enemy retuning to he stance. She knew she should wait for him to make the first move, but her jaw hurt badly where he hit, she could taste her blood "_I can't let him land another hit!_" Once again he charged towards her, this time she ducked below, he clumsily went over watching her in horror as she manage to land a direct blow on in shoulder. Groaning in pain he still managed to grab her wrist before she could put a safe distance between them. Using his legs and other arm to secure himself to the ground he threw her with good strength, fortunately his lack of planning meant she was able to land safely. Although her wrist felt like it had been broken. She moved her fingers, good, no serious damage, but she had no idea anyone in the class was so strong. He also had managed to pick himself up no panting clutching his shoulder, he too realised, this would be a tougher fight than he had first planned.

"So" He panted "the little girl can hit, but your going don't with this next attack!" he charged.

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Sakura had realised this was an even match, exchanging hit for hit, "_this is going nowhere! Still, the way it's going, if Hinata hadn't have defeated that boy, we'd have lost by now. I have no idea she was so strong, she's so timid, I would never has guessed_" Her thoughts were interrupted by another series of blow for blow attacks by the girl. Both now panting, exhausted but not willing to give up. Sakura knew that she was going to have to start actually winning this fight if she was going to pass the test, and there was the other team to worry about. Sakura ran towards her opponent delivering a series of kicks and punches, she couldn't seem to land a hit, but then she had let her guard down, and got strike on her side, below her rib cage. She fell to her knees, the girl stood over her, and about to strike her for a knock out, then someone crashed into her, was it Naruto?

"Aw you stupid!" the girl manage before the newcomer made a blow to her head, rendering her unconscious. As Sakura turn to face him, she realised, this wasn't Naruto.

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Hinata was barely fending off each of her opponent's brutal strikes, she managed to occasionally scrape a blow. Although she was running out of chakra quickly, if things stayed as they were, she could win, she knew it. Although he was big, hit hard and could endure great physical damage, no one can build up defence against the gentle fist "_This is it! I can win!_" she thought amazed by herself.

He turned around after another series of his attacks failed to land a blow, he was becoming more furious that he was being defeated but a girl half his size, it didn't make sense! He once again directed all his anger and frustration into his attacks, and again he missed. As he turned round this time he felt a sharp pain in is side, this girl… how could she? He never even felt her hit. "_Curse the Hyuga blood!_" he thought, falling to his knees, he let to world go black, as he fell unconscious.

Hinata stood there for a moment, now it was over she never realised he big he was, and she, she manage to beat him, she couldn't believe it. She heard a loud thump.

"S-SAKURA!" She realised she too was engaged in a fight, and ran off to help her friend.

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Sakura simple started at the new comer, he was from the other team! She quickly scanned for any sin of his team mates, there were none. She forced herself up, her body was aching all over, but if she looked like she was ready to collapse he would defiantly take advantage, so she did her best to show no such sign.

"Forget it, I was watched the 5 of you fight, waiting for this moment, a stiff breeze would knock you over" He same with a hint of humour in his voice.

"Doesn't mean I'm going to give up!" She snapped

"Hm" he sighed, "so be it" He began to approach her, until he heard a call

"SA-SAKURA!" Hinata called to her team mate

"HINATA!" Sakura replied

"Huh?" The newcomer looked confused "You… beat that ogre?" He looked serious now

"Hinata…you beat that guy?" Sakura too was amazed "_She's even stronger than I thought_" She stared at her in shock

"Ye-yes, but I don't have much chakra left" she whispered to Sakura. She nodded to show she understood. They were going to bluff their way out of this.

"So, you still want to fight?!" She challenged the boy "two against one, we will let you leave if you want, but fight, we will have to put you down too"

"As a matter a fact, I do" he grinned, reaching behind his back he pulled out a metal stick

Hinata and Sakura were in trouble, and they both knew it. "_Ugh why did I have to do that!_" Sakura thought. Her mind was racing frantically, trying to think of some other way of getting out of this

"We, we don't even have the key, when we sensed the others we gave it to our team mate to carry away" Sakura blurted out. He paused for a moment before he answered

"Oh? He said he didn't have it, and I was pretty satisfied after the pain I put into him and he still denied it" he laughed, "So no, I'm pretty sure you have it"

Hinata froze, "_he, he beat up Naruto-kun?_" a tear ran down her cheek "_It's all my fault if I have dived for it then he'd be here and I'd have been beaten, and I left him, I should've waited with him_" She was furious with herself, and hurting inside. But now all she wanted to pay him back for what he did to Naruto-kun, she would make him pay! Without even thinking, she charged. She had forgotten that she had barely any chakra or that she was physically exhausted. She raised a fist, not her usual gentle style, and aimed it at his face, he easily dodged it, and used his weapon to wipe her off the floor. She was desperate, she shot a kick at him, he grabbed her leg, using all his strength he threw her against a tree, there was a loud crack.

She screamed out, her leg was is the worst pain, Sakura had come to her side, holding her hand. She knew, she had broken her leg.

"Now will you hand it over?!" He grinned

"You, you're a monster!" Sakura yelled at him. She rose to her feet, "_He will pay for this!"_ where her only thoughts. She made a vicious blow at hit, which he blocked.

"Do you want to end up like her?" he spat, throwing her down. Hinata was now silent, clutching her leg, breathing heavily, looking at Sakura. Sakura made for her punch for the key.

"HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING?!" Came a familiar cry. They all looked up to see Naruto gazing at them, his eyes glanced at the boy, then rested on Hinata, before returning. "What did you do?!"

"Naruto!" Sakura called out, her voice full of relief. The boy merely sighed

"Your're gonna pay!" Naruto yelled his eyes fixed on the boy. "Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" With a poof of smoke all around them there stood at least 50 Narutos.

"Simple illusions" the boy said, no once considering they were clones. They all charged

"But they're, they're solid clones…" Sakura said in disbelief "_In class he could make one single replication!_"

The boy too realising they we not replications, "Oh…this is not good"

--------------

They left the boy out cold and severely bruised.

"Hinata, can you walk?" Naruto asked as he knelt by her side

"Don't be thick" Sakura snapped, "you can see from the outside it's broken, there no way she can walk"

"I-I c-can try" Hinata offered

"Oh no you don't" Sakura ordered "What took you so long anyway?" she directed at Naruto

"Huh? Oh well, er that's a long story" He said quickly

"Naruto!" Sakura snapped

"Er, we need to decide how to take Hinata with us" He said hopefully, not wanting her to know he had fallen asleep

"Oh, sorry Hinata" Sakura reasoned "_He was probably messing around, but we still have a test to finish"_ In the end they decided that They would carry Hinata between then, she put an arm around each of them and they carried her with them. Naruto had offered to carry her on his own, however she had blushed severely so much and didn't reply he took it for a no, much to her disappointment.

They were relieved when they got back and found nobody. They sat Hinata down by a tree and began to search for this item the key was for. After a few minutes had passed they still had no luck, Hinata was applying a healing tonic to her leg, Naruto was now frantically searching and Sakura had given up and decided to rest next to Hinata. "_It wasn't long until the sun would start to set then we'd fail_" Naruto realised

"Hey what are we going to do? There's nothing here!" Naruto said worriedly "Does that mean someone beat us to it?

"What? Oh no you're the first I've seen" Said a man walking towards them carrying a silver tin. He was dressed in a Chunin jacket he wore his forehead protector over his left eye and had a mask the covered this nose and all his lower face and he had silvery-grey hair shooting off the one side.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked, he hadn't spotted what he was carrying

"Me? I'm Kakashi Hatake" He said, smiling, at least Naruto thought he was smiling it was really difficult to say. Then Naruto spotted the tin

"You've got our item!" He burst one, again, telling the obvious

"Kurenai was right about you sensei" Sakura said

"Kurenai? Why? What did she say?" He asked in a I don't care but tell me anyway tone

"That you weren't know for your being on time"

"Oh, is that all?" he said

"Well? Are you going to give it us?" Naruto asked impatiently

"Hm, I've spend 2 hours today with other Genin try to get 2 bells off me, I wonder if you can get this off me"

"WHAT?! You are joking" Naruto couldn't believe it, Sakura was going to cry and Hinata again could only stare

"yes" he answered simply

"THAT'S NOT FUNNY!"

"Oh come on it is a little" he threw the tin at them, Sakura caught it and pulled out her key, it opened. "_Kurenai is going to have to start making her tests harder" _Kakashi thought, "_Don't think much of the bunch she's got. Don't think much of the bunch she's got"_

"What does it say?" Naruto asked

"Congratulations 3 Genin reading this, you may start your missions 2 days from now, come to the Hokage's office at 10 am for your first missions"

"So, we did pass right?" Naruto said slowly

"Looks like it" Sakura said smiling as she looked up

Hinata's heart rejoiced, "_This is it! I will be in Naruto-kun's group for a long time, and at some time I can, maybe tell him how I feel_" She watched him dance up an down in joy. The very thought of her telling him how she felt made her blush. As they left, her being carried by Sakura and Naruto, she realised, this could be the happiest day of her life, even thought she broke her leg, and it still ached, this day she knew for sure, that she would be happy for a long time.

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By the time they had carried her home the sun had set. Her father was furious that someone had broken her leg, but equally seemed to blame her for not being strong enough, although he never said it. Sakura and Naruto went their separate ways home, each feeling that the day had gone overall quite well.

She was taken to the hospital the next day to bee seen my medical ninja, who said she would be fine in a few weeks, so long as they stuck to normal Genin missions it shouldn't affect her drastically. She was still disappointed, this means that she would be even more of a drag to the team. She was not to put much weight on it and had to use a crutch for awhile. This horrified her.

"Well what do you expect?" the medical ninja said "Of course you don't have to, but that means you can stand up" Hinata sighed, she knew then she would choose the crutch, desperately hoping it would heal fast. At first it was very awkward, she had difficult keeping her balance, and had now she realized, foolishly insisted she did the grocery shopping alone. Walking how she had already nearly dropped it 6 times, as it nearly fell again she realized she could hold on to it, when someone caught it for her. She looked up, her face when scarlet within seconds

"What are you doing Hinata?" Naruto said, looking at her injured leg

"Um, I was, I was just go-going home" she said, a single hand raised twiddling with an invisible partner, then rising it to her lip

"I mean why are you alone? Here I'll come with you, you can't take this back like that, you'll drop it" he said with a grin on his face

"ugh, you don't, I mean I c-can do it" She said quietly

"It's not problem" he said still smiling "besides we're on the same team now, should help each other"

"oh, um, th-thanks, Naruto-kun" she whispered

"no problem" He said, he followed her back to her house, until he can to the entrance "Wow, I didn't see it clearly at night, you live in a huge house Hinata" he said in awe

"Y-yes" they stood there for a few minutes, Naruto is awe at the size of her house, while she just stared at him and became lost in another of her fantasies.

"Well bye Hinata!" He said finally coming to terms with the size of her house

"Um go-good bye Naruto-kun" she murmured. He handed her the groceries and sped off home.

"_Soon_" he thought "_I'll be on real missions!_"

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End of Chapter 3


	4. Something More

**Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto**

**Chapter 4 – Something more**

Naruto let out a sigh, he didn't think being a ninja was so boring. He and Sakura have they trousers rolled up, waste disposals on their backs with sticks in their hands trying to catch all the litter that was coming down the river. They had been here 3 hours, while Kurenai was simply reading a book on a tree nearby. Hinata also was sitting it out, with her leg not yet fully healed standing in a river would simply result in her falling over all the time, although she was rid of the crutch, she just had to take it easy.

"I can't take this much longer!" He whined "I thought being a ninja meant actually using ninja techniques and fighting and stuff"

"I know, but moaning about it won't change it" Sakura replied, although he was a bonehead in her eyes, she had to agree, kids at the academy could do this, wasn't there more important things they could be doing? Naruto had already whined in front of the third, who had explained the missions that they get given, D ranks are for Genin, C ranks are for experienced Genin and Chunin, B Ranks were for Chunin and possibly Jounin, whist A ranks were for Jounin. She remembered how he said he'd given them a more exciting mission when Hinata's leg had healed. The thought of that was fun, she just wanted Hinata's leg to hurry up and heal.

"_Still, she must have felt awful when he said that_" Sakura thought "_She was miserable the whole day after that, maybe it was what Naruto said_" She thought back, what had he said?

"Why did you have to break your leg Hinata?" he grumbled. He hadn't intended for anyone to hear him, but Sakura did. It made her furious, "_She wouldn't have if you have stopped messing around and helped us out sooner!_" Still she detected no anger in his voice, more like disappointment, "_maybe he's blamed himself_" She wondered. She would have asked, but with Hinata here, she didn't want to upset her more. How would she have felt? She tried to picture herself in Hinata's shoes. As bored as us, but she's alone over there, plus she feels like she's letting the team down. "_Hmm, poor Hinata, someone should cheer her up_" She glanced across, Hinata was sitting on the grass watching them with an unreadable expression. "_Yes_" Sakura had decided, someone was going to cheer her up, should she do it? Or are they too different? She thought of all the people she knew who might be able to cheer her up. She remembered days at the academy, but she had few memories of Hinata "_We barely even know each other_" she realised "_Well I'll just have to turn this into a double opportunity, to get to know her a bit better and make her feel better_"

After a few more hours with their disposals full of litter they had finally finished. After Kurenai left to file the report of the 'mission' this was usually the time they went their separate ways

"Hinata?" Sakura, took this opportunity

"Y-yes, Sakura?"

"Do you want to come shopping with me?" Stumped she hadn't meant to say that, "_I guess my savings were going to okay use_" she reasoned with herself

"Oh, I-I'd love to" Hinata was grateful she didn't really want to go home yet. The girls went off together, to be honest Sakura had no idea what she wanted to buy.

"So Hinata is there anything you would like to get?" She asked

"Um, well" Hinata was looking around, she never really went shopping for anything other than groceries. Her family was rich, but she had never been spoiled. Like Sakura she over the past couple of week hadn't spent any of the money she'd earned, there wasn't really anything she needed.

"I know!" Sakura took Hinata into a dress shop "How about you try a few on?"

Hinata was a little less than comfortable with this, what if someone saw her look silly? What if Naruto-kun did?

"Um, er, I don't know…" She tried to protest

"Come on, it might be fun, and you might find something you like" Sakura smiled encouragingly. She didn't know why Hinata was always so nervous. Whatever the reason she was determined to get her to have a good time, she only wished she knew the best way to do it. She picked out a few clothes she thought looked nice, her movement carefully watched by Hinata who it seems wasn't having as much 'fun'.

"Her try these" she said, handing a large pile over

"Er, um, okay" Hinata having to admit defeat, clearly Sakura's will surpassed her own. She tried a few on, didn't like most of them. Unlike Sakura she didn't like the short or no sleeves, she felt she had to cover up, as she returned her usual wear on she realised how safe she felt in them. She came out faced with an excited Sakura

"Well? Like any of them?" She said smiling

"Um, well, it's not that I don't its just that I like my normal clothes" Hinata said quietly, she felt that Sakura would be disappointed with this answer so she tried to avoid eye contact.

"Oh, okay" Sakura said, her smile slightly thrown "_Damn, so she doesn't like shopping_" Hinata was relieved that she hadn't upset Sakura, she saw she was trying to be nice.

"Why, don't you try some on Sakura?" Hinata asked politely. Sakura looked up

"Huh? You wouldn't mind?" She said, her smile returning

"Of course not" Hinata said. She watched Sakura sweep round the shop picking up clothing, she returned with a mountain and quickly began trying them all on. This kept them occupied for awhile, Sakura would come out with something else on and Hinata would comments ranging from "okay" to "Very Nice" being too timid to actually admit it looked bad. Sakura could tell when it wasn't a hit because Hinata would attempt to say not good, but end up saying "okay".

After a few hours of moving between shops Sakura's arms full, she decided to call it a day. On the whole she thought she had been successful in cheering Hinata up, she got her to laugh a few times and they told each other about themselves more. On the whole Sakura thought, I think we're friends now, not just team mates. She laid out her new clothes on her bed and put the away tidily "_Still, Hinata didn't buy anything, I wonder what she's being do with her allowances_" She stopped, "_Didn't she even have an allowance? The Hyuga Clan is rich, so it makes sense she has. Strange though, she never even looked like she might want anything._" Sakura spend her evening wondering about her new friend, whilst realising how different they were.

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Naruto on the other hand went straight for ramen after the mission. He ate his usual 12 bowls, then headed to the training field determined to continue mastering his chakra. He practiced his clone techniques "_Nothing wrong with these_" He thought to himself proudly looking at 4 other Narutos, he then fought them to claim the title of "The Best Me". Afterward he Practiced his kunai and shuriken throwing. "_Hmm this could better_" Frustrated with himself or no managing to hit all his targets. He spend hours trying until his weapons were blunt. He laid on his back, panting after his hard training. He remember back when he saw Hinata after what that bastard did to her. "_Sakura was right, I need to stop goofing off, or else people can get badly hurt. Had that have been a real mission she could've died. As the future Hokage I can't let that happen!_" He squeezed his hand into a tight fist "_Next time, I'll be there in time_" he swore to himself.

He began training his arm muscles totally unaware he had 2 spectators.

Hinata stood behind a tree watching him struggle like she had done when they were at the academy. She might've show herself this time, but she didn't want to interrupt or distract him. She couldn't help but admire him, even though he was alone, and there was no one watching him (or so he though) he still wouldn't give up. She sighed, if only she could tell him how she felt…

Kurenai had been watching them both, she had put the two and two together. "_So, she really does like him_" She watched them for awhile before leaving, Hinata reminded her of herself 15 years previously. After awhile she left leaving them alone in the setting sunlight.

After he was physically exhausted he collapsed on his bask, gasping for air. "_Good_" He thought "_I must have made progress today. Hmm, I guess I should head back before it's dark, after all, I can't go on when I'm this tired_" He stopped for ramen before he actually went back home.

"Been training hard?" the old man said

"Yep!" He replied grinning "Now I'm ready to eat" he ate 14 bowls of ramen before he decided he'd had enough. On his way back home he could only think of what would happened if he did that again, "_Hinata… Sakura… they would be…_" He shook his head, well it was a good thing he is never going to that again told himself.

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It was dark by the time Hinata was home, no one had seemed to notice, "_They must have thought I was training_" she thought. She made her way to the kitchen to help her mother prepare dinner. She had been doing do since she was 5, her father thought it a necessary skill for a young lady. She remembered she didn't like it at first, it was too hard, but it wasn't long before she began to enjoy it. She loved it when she was complemented on her cooking, just like when Naruto-kun had.

After Dinner she went to her room, to read some scrolls on chakra control, even if she couldn't practice it out, she could still understand it so she had a better chance of doing it effectively when her leg had healed. Unlike Naruto she could understand the more advanced ways of controlling Chakra. She let her mind drift "_I wonder if Naruto will ask me for help_" She smiled as she tried to picture him sitting next to her hanging on her every word, giving her his undivided attention as she described how to control chakra. After a few minutes she woken from her fantasy "_Well that'll never become a reality if I don't understand it myself_" she told herself to push herself on. It was many hours later before she decided that would be enough. Most of the family had already fallen asleep.

As she prepared herself for sleep her mind this time wondered to the test, and about how she had managed to overcome the large boy. She smiled remembering the pride of defeating him. She began to think of her strengths and weaknesses, so she could prepare for more serious missions when they came. She knew she could cause internal damage with her gentle fist attacks, but there was so much she didn't know about the ways of other ninja. As her mind tried to think of other things she'd seen and heard about, she drifting into sleep.

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After eating breakfast and getting dress Naruto was ready for another day of performing stupid missions, "_At least until Hinata's leg is better_" he told himself, then the 3rd had promised him something more exciting. He couldn't wait for it, what would it be? Rescuing a princess? Sabotaging an army? He had thought of several other extreme ideas but he didn't want to get it right or it might make it less exciting.

He met up with the rest the team outside the Hokage's office.

"Good morning guys" he said beaming with energy

"Looks like someone slept well" Sakura replied

"G-good morning, Na-Naruto-kun" Hinata said shyly. Apparently Sakura hadn't noticed the lack of stuttering when they were not with Naruto.

"Wonder what mission we will be doing today, so long as I don't have to chase that cat again I'll be fine" Personally Naruto thought giving the cat to the owner was cruel as all she did was pet it far too roughly and giving it way too much treatment

"Ugh I don't care, no matter what it is it's going to be boring" Sakura sighed

"Positive thinking you know, can do wonders" Kurenai suggested, getting depressed by her teams lack of enthusiasm

"I-I just hope I can join in" Hinata said as quietly as ever. She was now getting tired of not being able to help with their missions, instead having to sit it out.

"Don't worry Hinata! Your leg will be fine soon" Naruto said, giving her his signature grin, causing Hinata to blush slightly. Although she had been around him more than ever, she still couldn't control her blushing, she wished she could "_He keeps thinking I'm always sick_" She thought to herself having caught him eye her with concern, thus furthering the shade of red she was.

They were called in. The old man smiled at them

"Okay then are you ready for your more exciting mission?"

"What? But what about Hinata's leg?" Naruto questioned, puzzled

"The medical Ninja tell me she has made good progress to recovery, so I think she has healed enough for this." He explained. Naruto grinned getting very excited

"Your mission is to protect a bridge builder from gangs. You will stay with him until the bridge is complete" He read off the paper in front of him. Naruto's heart sank

"I thought you said we got to do something exciting" he whined

"You don't like it? I do need someone to find a lost cat-" he began

"Ok, fine doesn't matter we'll protect the bridge man!" Naruto interrupted. Sakura and Hinata suppressed a giggle, the old man smiled

"Come in now" He called to someone outside. They turning around, an old man with crooked back and clutching onto a beer bottle entered the room.

"What the- a bunch of little snot nosed kids?" The man said in disgust as he looked upon the 3 Genin and their leader. He pulled the bottle to his face as guzzled several mouthfuls.

"And you, the little one with the idiot look on his face, really expect be to believe you're a ninja?"

"Haha! Who's the little one with the idi-" he stopped, and compared himself the the 2 girls……

"WHAT?! Come here I'll demolish you! Come on! come here!" He shouted furiously at the man. Kurenai easily held him back

"Naruto you know usually your supposed to protect the customer not attack them" She said resisting a smile

"I am Tazuna, a bridge builder. Once I return to my country I will have all of your protect my life with yours while I complete the bridge." He said simply, draining the rest of his beer.

They each went home to pack for the following days ahead.

-----------------

Sakura packed a large amount of kunai and shuriken, enough food for a couple of days, consisting mainly of fruits due to her diet. She sighed "_I only went on this stupid diet for Sasuke_" She had decided to stick to it so her looked in top form next time they met. She wondered when that might be, and if she would be able to impress him. "_Well I guess this will be the first serious mission I'm going to do_" she felt a little nervous, not only because it was dangerous, but it would be her first time really away from home. She slung the bag on her back and told her parents where she was going

"What? My baby is going on mission like that already?" Her mother said in the usual mother tone, Sakura sighed. Her father looked at her for a moment, also taking in

"You just be careful out there" he said, deciding not to embarrass her like her mother. She left for the gate where they had all arranged to meet up

-----------------

Hinata packed a variety of things, kunai, shuriken, healing ointments, bandages, smoke bombs, exploding tags and rope. After she was pleased that she had enough variety to deal with most situations she prepared some food for her journey, she decided to pack more than she would eat, encase Naruto-kun didn't pack enough again. "_This time, I will show Naruto-kun I am strong too_" She thought "_I won't become a burden again!_" She knelt down and inspected her leg "_It's nearly fully healed, I can feel it_" She took her food and carefully wrapped it so it would keep for a long time.

As he lifted her now relatively heavy pack onto her back she went to see her father. As usually at this time he was in his study. She tapped the door

"Enter" He said. When Hinata enter he was looking up from his papers, it looked like he had been comparing something.

"Um, I have a mission, and I might be gone for a few days" She informed him. His gazed narrowed as if to say "you interrupt me for this?" she looked down at her feet

"Very well, good luck on your mission then" he said his powerful gaze returning to his papers

"Th-Thank you Father" he bowed and left with haste. But before she had shut the door he had said

"Don't burden your team" Hinata froze there, she expected as much from her father, he was convinced she was a failure. Her younger sister was the star child of the Hyuga's main branch. That didn't bother her, it just felt like her father cared nothing for her. She knew it wasn't true, but it didn't make his words cuts any less deep.

"_I won't let it get to me, or I can't focus_" She told herself as she refused to slip-up infront of Naruto-kun, or get injured so all she was, was a burden. She left her house quickly, she couldn't want to spend more time with Naruto-kun to find out more about him.

----------------

Naruto threw together what he considered a survival kit, a few kunai, shuriken and some food, he wondered how long they'd be out there, he didn't see it lasting more than a week, so he filled up the rest of his bag with food.

Satisfied that what he had was enough he headed out. Running round the village to get to the gate, he dashed round the corner, and into someone.

"Argh my head! Watch were your going!" He said holding his hand with both hands

"Why don't you watch it, loser" Sasuke replied coolly. By the time Naruto looked up Sasuke was already on his feet looking down on Naruto with an expressionless face. "Stop running around playing hero and pay attention to where your going, oh and some advice. Lose the outfit, it would be hard to stay undetected if you practically glow" Sasuke said, with a faint smile on his face, he had annoyed Naruto

"Yeah well I don't have time to mess with you Sasuke! I have a C-ranked mission to do!" He ran on thinking he left Sasuke furious that he was already on a C-ranked mission, blissfully unaware Team 7 had already completed 2 C-ranked missions

"Loser" Sasuke whispered after Naruto had disappeared

------------------

As they all came together they set out together, Kurenai and the bridge builder in front followed by the 3 Genin. They were walking at a steady pace for some hours. The woods there were walking between where peaceful the bird chirping and they could occasionally hear the river that sometimes ran by the road. The old man pull out another beer bottle, he popped the cap the lid flipped out of his hand and bounce on the road until it stopped with a splash. All of a sudden a bladed chain shot above their heads, aimed at Kurenai. She shoved the bridge builder down, but got caught by the chain. Naruto turned round to see the attacker, there were 2, dressed in black, with makes covering their lower face. The each had a device the opposite arm as to the other where the hand was replaced by a menacing claw with either end of the chain come from the two devices, these two fought as one. And with Kurenai in a bind hey were in trouble….

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End of chapter 4

Author Notes: Sorry for leaving it as it is, it's really late but I really wanted to send something in.

I tried maybe poorly to give some insight as to what they are thinking and feel about their team, and how the bonds of friendship are starting to form.


	5. Demon of the Hidden Mist

**Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto**

**Chapter 5 – Demon of the Hidden Mist**

With the 3 Genin between their sensei and the attackers, the chains had spilt the group in two on either side. The shock of what had happened and how fast had not sunk in, they couldn't move and couldn't think.

"Sensei!" Sakura screamed out.

"_Coward_" a voice snapped inside Naruto's head. At that moment he remember the promise he made, that he would not fail him team again, even now, these ninja's could quite easily kill him, but that didn't wouldn't him, he would be hokage. He would protect his friends with his life. The chains were being pulled straight, being tightened. Moving on his instincts he drew a kunai and thrust it into a hole in a chain, and then with all his might he pulled the attacker forward, loosening the chains on his sensei. The ninja fell forward towards Naruto, who met him with a fist. The attacker quickly recovered and swung his claw at him, he tried to block, but the claw cut into his hand. No sooner had he done, so he was already running towards the bridge builder. He raised his claw, aimed directly at the man. The claw came to a halt, inches away from the man, as Naruto's eyes followed the claw to the body he saw that a tree had appeared out of the ground and had trapped him with roots. Naruto was in awe, he looked around quickly for the other to find him in the same state, then he saw Kurenai.

"S-sensei, your there…?" He looked back to where she had been caught in the chains, and there, on the floor was a piece of wood. She had used the replacement technique

"What, you thought these guys would get me that easily?" She said with a faint smile "I'm hurt"

"Wow sensei, your powerful!" Sakura said with awe as she inspected the roots that bound their attackers.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered under her breath "_He was so brave, I couldn't think because I was so scared, but he acted immediately_" she thought deciding to ignore the pause before he did act "_I wish I could be like you Naruto-kun_"

"Thanks Sakura, I'll teach you some after this mission but first…" She looked at the attackers, giving them each a solid knock out punch before realising her jutsu. Then she turned and faced Tazuna. Her expression had changed now, she looked fearsome to her 3 Genin who all thought at that precise moment "_I hope I never meet her bad side_"

"Not exactly the gangs or bandits you described on your mission" She said aggressively

"N-no, I guess not" Tazuna replied, with a scared look on his face.

"So, lets hear it" she continued "What are the real details of this mission? Because I'm not prepared to risk my Genin if you've put us up to someone out of their league" Naruto was going to say something, but her reconsidered when he imagined her answer.

"Ugh, alright" Tazuna confessed "Most of what I told you is true, I am the master bridge builder for a project in the Land of the Wave. But someone doesn't want this bridge to be completed. A man called Gatoh"

"Gatoh? The Gatoh Company owner? She asked, intrigued

"Yes, he is president of a marine transportation company on the outside. But underground, he uses gangs and rogue ninjas to smuggle drugs and contraband goods. Also using these…..resources to take over other companies and countries." He continued on "A year ago he set his sights on my country, the Land of the Wave. Using his money and gangs he forced his way into our businesses and our lives, quickly overtaking our sea traffic and transportation. In a country like Land of the Wave, controlling the sea means ruling over wealth, politics and the people."

"So your bridge would be his ruin?" Kurenai questioned

"Exactly, it would bring freedom back into our lives" Tazuna explained

"Hmm, well why did you lie on your mission description?"

"Land of the Waves is a poor country, even our feudal does not have much money. We couldn't afford buying a higher ranked mission." He said simply "But if you decide not to continue with this mission that's ok, don't worry about it. My cute 8 year old grandson with only cry and my daughter will hold a grudge against Konoha ninja and live a lonely life. But like I said, don't worry about that, you have yourselves to consider, no need to help our country"

All 4 ninja hated Tazuna for playing to morality game. But could they really just leave him?

"Alright, I guess we'll continue to help you" Kurenai sighed

"That's good to hear" He answered. "_I won_"

They continued to the land of the wave until they came to the sea. Following the coast they met with someone who was secretly working with Tazuna. He escorted them across the sea to the island through the thick mist on his boat.

"There it is, our bridge" Tazuna said

"It's huge!" Naruto yelled

"Be quiet!! Why do you think I'm rowing and not using the motor?! It's dangerous" The rower whispered. He explained that the reason that had waited so long before asking for help was because the season wasn't right, they needed the cover of the mist.

They reached shore on a beach, it wasn't clean, with broken glasses and litter everywhere, it wasn't the place you'd like to be. Upon reaching the town they found the mist didn't come onto the land, the further away they got the less you could notice it. They passed through the docks town, it was as the Tazuna had described it. It was rundown, and obviously very poor, the streets where filled with beggars and children with rags for clothing. They all felt terrible, living there lives in their nice clothes while these people were staving to death. Kurenai noticed the expressions on her pupils faces, what could she tell them? There where people like this all over the world, she'd seen enough to know that. She had to say something, selecting her words carefully she said:

"Well, this is what you might call inspiration, if we succeed in our mission then all of these people can live better lives"

Hearten by her words the mood of the group lightened as then let the town and along a trail. The trail was leading them around an opening that had a bottle neck connecting to the sea. Hinata thought it was quite pretty. Not like Konoha, it was enclosed in its giant city walls and then surrounded by forests. As she stared out onto the sea she realised how beautiful it was, how relaxing. "_It must have been a brilliant place to live before Gatoh came_" she thought to herself. "_Trading the well-being of an entire country for you own ambition. Why would anyone do such an awful thing?_"

Ahead the trail seems to turn away from the Lake, but the mist was back. It was thickening very quickly. Kurenai stopped

"What's wrong sensei?" Sakura asked, although she knew what the answer was

"This mist is appearing way too fast for it to be natural." She said, looking about checking all nearby locations that weren't already covered with mist.

"M-more ninjas?" Hinata gulped

"Looks like it, swastika formation, don't let harm come to the bridge builder" Naruto was surprised how commanding she sounded, when they met she looked like a soft touch, but he saw her now as a real Jounin. They did as they were told and protected the bridge builder in a triangular formation.

"Whats this? A ninja and 3 brats? Hardly a challenge, although I am curious, how did you take out the Demon brothers?" A deep voice snarled filled with malice from out of the mist, undetectable from where the new threat was coming from.

"Demon brothers? Wait you mean those two were working for you?" Kurenai questioned, she decided they could do nothing until this new threat showed himself, so until then she may as well learn what she could.

"Yes, although I will say their skills did not please me. They were however successful on the missions I put to them, so their failure seizes my attention you see?" the voice replied

"So, who are you to think you are to judge the skills of others with so little care?" Kurenai said, rattled that this person could discard his team mate's lives as unworthy of him.

"What difference does it make? You'll be dead soon enough. But if you ask of my skill it surpasses your own." The voice replied, emotionlessly

"A bit arrogant aren't you?" Kurenai replied, like him showing no signs of any emotion through her speech

"I am the Demon of the Hidden Mist, Momochi Zabuza."

"Ugh Zabuza?! I've heard of him, he's a master of the Silent killing Technique" he whispered to the team.

"That's right, so you've heard of him, comes as no surprise, after all I'm in many countries bingo books" The voice said

"So when's the great demon going to show himself?" Kurenai said. "_Playing these games with him is pointless_" she decided

"Very well" no sooner had these words being spoken when a huge sword came spinning from the missing, on course to slice all 5 of them in half

"Drop!" Kurenai yellow, throwing herself to the floor. Naruto, Hinata, Sakura and Tazuna also dropped, the blade barely missed them. It was so close Naruto felt the hair on his head move as the sword passed over him. With a loud slice it had landed in a tree, and Ninja appeared on it.

Standing on his sword what had cut into the tree there stood a tall man, he had short black spiky hair and hand bandages covering his lower bad much like Kakashi's mask. He wore a black tank top with camouflaged pants and black boots. His sword was of an incredible size, about 5 feet long and nearly a foot deep, it looked like it could slice anything in two. Sakura was surprised it hadn't go straight through the tree, and amazed he would even wield it.

"Give me the old man and I will spare you your lives, stay… and I will gut you like the dogs you are" he said, as expressionless as ever. He turned his head to one side so his face was partly visible.

"No way" Naruto said, mustering the courage

"I wasn't talking to you brat" He replied coldly

"I said no way!" Naruto repeated. There was a silence. "_He's got guts, I'll give him that, but all the same he's a fool_" Zabuza thought. Everyone else thought much the same.

"He's right." Kurenai said "If you think we're just going to hand him over, you're mistaken"

"Oh? Then I guess my knife gets to feed" He held the handle and used his feet to kick away dragging to knife out of the tree. Moments passed, feeling like hours.

"There, on the water!" Sakura shouted pointing. There stood Zabuza performing a jutsu, the water swirling around his feet. Then the mists thickness accelerated rapidly, within seconds Zabuza was out of sight.

"Kirigakure no Jutsu!" His cold voice came out of nowhere.

"Keep your guard up, there's no way of telling when or where he will strike from" Kurenai instructed her pupils

The pressure was on, and Hinata could feel it. "_There's no telling when he'll strike, who he'll target first, How he will attack them_" She was breathing faster and faster, the rising panic beginning to get the better of her. Kurenai noticed this, and was about to say something, but Naruto beat her to it

"Hey, Hinata?" he whispered just enough so she could hear him, too scared to even blush, she turned enough to look at him

"Everything's going to be okay" He had to say something, her being driven crazy was starting to get too him too. True he felt petrified too, but there's nothing worse than having your team mate break down in front of you.

"_Thank you Naruto-kun_" she already felt a bit safer, his words encouraged her enough. Enough to see these moments through and keep her sanity.

Kurenai performed a series of hands signs, the effect was the mist began to rise

"Are you sure?!" He said a rising effort in his voice. All of a sudden he appeared in the middle of their formation. His blade held back, ready to making a cleaving strike ok all of them. Kurenai acted immediately. The next thing Sakura knew, she was on her back staring and Kurenai, her kunai sticking into Zabuza's stomach. The was a pause. Water began to trickle out of him, the clone burst like a popped water balloon. Another Zabuza appeared behind her. Sword raised, about to strike.

"Sensei! Sakura called out

Kurenai leapt back, as Zabuza swung for her. He black cut her stomach, but she immediately looked up and began forming hand signs

"Bunshin no Jutsu" She called, 6 more Kurenai appeared. They all charged, Zabuza made another slash eliminating 3 of them, because he weapon was so large has wasn't fast enough to strike again, two of the Kurenai made a slash on either side of his throat. The left on was real, but there was a problem. Water trickled down from the clones throat. She blinked "_Another clone, then where is the real one?!_" Her question was quickly answered. She felt a large pain in he spine and found herself flying towards to lake.

Before the Genin knew what was happening Zabuza was stand on the water beside their sensei, and was performing hand signs rapidly.

"Suirō no Jutsu" He then directed his hand towards her. A blue ball instantly appeared around her.

"Heh-heh that wasn't so hard" he chuckled "This prison might be made of water, but it has chakra running through it, needless to say, it's harder than steel" All Kurenai could do was stare at him in disbelief "_I….I underestimated him_" but it was too late for that now.

"There's no time, take Tazuna and run! You can't defeat this guy!" She called out

"Eh, be quite" he said to her like a pest, "Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu" another water clone appeared from the lakes surface. It took several steps towards them, paralyzed by fear they could only watch.

"_Sensei's right, we can't defeat this guy he's too strong. But then, that'd mean leaving her, and I can't do that either, oh what should be do?!_" Sakura thought to herself

"_Even if we do run away he's just track us down no matter how far or fast we go. He's not going to be letting us leave_" Hinata concluded

"_So that means we only have one option left, we have to get her out_" they both realized. Hinata glanced at Sakura, who gave a nod, she then looked at Naruto, who had his eyes focused on the clone, apparently unaware they were going to try something.

Sakura's thoughts were at the problem at hand, although defeating this clone would be challenge enough, they had to make the real Zabuza release his hand, he can keep summoning clones. So that was actually a pointless fight. Hinata took her gentle fist stance, Sakura followed her lead, Naruto noticing this decided he knew what to do.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" He called, several Naruto's appeared, all taking a ready position to attack.

"What this?" Zabuza said with interest "Your going to fight? Heh-heh foolish brats!" the clone moved is sword ready to strike.

They ran at the clone, surrounding him. Hinata and Sakura stood behind the clones, ready to make their move. Four Naruto's make for the Zabuza clone, he swung wildly eliminating one, the other managed to dodge the swing, as it hit the ground before he could pick it back up another Naruto jumped on it before the handle forcing it to fall, then leaping in the air. Zabuza's clone didn't have time to pick it up as the rest of the Naruto's leapt at him fists first. He easily dodged or avoided their attacks, but he was being careless. In the midst of the battering he did see two of the Naruto's preparing to launch Sakura and Hinata at the real Zabuza. Two Narutos knelt down, the girls put a foot in their hand and bent their knees preparing to leapt and receive a boost from the Narutos. "_This is it, all or nothing!_" He thought as he threw his team mates at the real Zabuza. Distracted he didn't notice then until they were almost upon him. He merely chuckled, with his free hand he hit Sakura, he was too arrogant to think Hinata could break his hold. He gentle fist attack was still using excessive amount of chakra, on purpose this time, and it drilled deep into his arm.

"AARGGHH!!" He cried in pain snatching his hand and holding his arm. Hinata was caught by Kurenai, who wasted no time in recovering Sakura. While the distracted Zabuza was processing how she hurt him that badly. Kurenai dropped the girls safely on the land and struck the Zabuza clone easily defeating it.

"I knew I have seen those eyes before, those hollow eyes of the Hyuga" He spat releasing his arm from his own grip.

Kurenai couldn't help but being stunned as to how well they had all cooperated as a team without needing to speak to each other.

Kurenai faced Zabuza again this time she was ready, she was prepared.

Zabuza Now realizing he'd have a serious fight on his hand ignored the growing numbness in his right arm. He drew his sword. But he didn't fool Kurenai, she was his weakness now. She began forming hands signs, Zabuza ran at her, decided he'd best to and take her down before she can complete it, completing it for her.

"Magen: Kyōten Chiten" a tree erupted from the ground roots snatching Zabuza. She drew a Kunai and held it to his throat. Before she could press and kill him, throwing needles came from behind her, Zabuza's body collapsed. All 3 Genin gasped. Kurenai shocked, checked his vital signs, then turned to faced a masked shinobi standing in a tree off the path. They wore a mask that was white, with a red swirl located at the bottom, they had long hair on the front and a tight bun at the back of the head. Dressed in a blue robe they appeared to be the same age as her 3 Genin. The ninja leap from the tree and approached Zabuza's corpse.

"Thanks you for your assistance" The figure said bowing. He had had a soft voice "I've been tracking Zabuza for a long time. Waiting for this chance to take him down."

"A tracker from the village hidden in the mist? You have been searching for a long time…" Kurenai replied

Naruto finally snapping out the state of shock approached the tracker. He couldn't believe that he killed him, like he did, in a moment, with no warning, when he was defeated anyway.

"Who do you think you are?!" she yelled at the tracker, unable to control himself

"Naruto… he's not our enemy" Kurenai told him calmly

"That's not the point! Did you see what he did! Just like that! Zabuza was huge and powerful, like some sort of monster, and this kid, who's no bigger than me, bought him down with one move like it was nothing! I mean what does that make us? we're just fumbling around! We don't know anything! How can I accept that!!" He finished shouting. Hinata and Sakura both understood what he meant. It took all 3 of them to move his hand, but this other guy, one move was all it took to kill him. They both looked at the floor not knowing what else to do. Kurenai approached Naruto and put her hand on his shoulder

"It's not easy to accept, I remember when I learnt things like that your age. But that's just the way this world is. There are kids out there younger than you are, yet stronger than me" she said softly, releasing her jutsu.

The tracker picked up the corpse "Your struggle is over for now. I must deal with the remains. There are many secrets in this body, they must not be allowed to be allowed to get into the wrong hands. Please excuse me" Holding up his free hand me made a sign, "Farewell" with a swirl of Wind, he disappeared with the body.

Kurenai decided it was best to give them a few minutes, before they carried on.

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End of Chapter 5

Author Notes: Ugh, what can I say? My battle fights suck………sorry? I'll try to complete the next chapter a bit faster, I know I made you wait longer than normal for this, sorry again.

Thanks for your reviews so far, they are useful and don't stop 


	6. Basic Chakra Control

**Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto**

**Chapter 6 – Basic Chakra Control**

By the time they had arrived at Tazuna's house they were ready to collapse. It was a house in the middle of the woods a short walk from the town which was actually host to the bridge. They met Tazuna's daughter, a friendly young woman, very pleasant and warm hearted, and she had long dark hair and brown eyes, and her son, Inari, who didn't say much. He was short and kept his head down, face hidden behind his hat. Naruto assumed he was in a mood because he didn't get something, seeming really grumpy. Tazuna had said they could sleep in the house for which they were very grateful.

As the day passed by the team helped out Tsunami with the housework, but Kurenai seemed to become more worried. Sakura and Hinata of course were quick to pick this up, but decided they wouldn't ask, they figured if it was something they needed to know she would say herself. Naruto on the other hand did notice it at all. When he finally did of course he was quick to react.

"Hey sensei, what's wrong?" He asked her as Tazuna had left to go to bed

"Hmm, it's just that tracker ninja" She said, falling into a stare on the floor

"Yeah he was a real jerk" Naruto replied, Kurenai frowned

"No I mean, last time I saw a tracker catch a rogue they did the job right there, as fast as possible" she said as she released her frown

"The job? Don't they just take it back to the village?" Naruto asked, intrigued

"No, could be someone after it. They usually should just destroy it there, all evidence, as fast as possible mission accomplished" She sighed "But they did he move it, he took it away so we wouldn't see"

"Oh, Sensei, do you think he was a fake?" Sakura asked fearing the answer

"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm thinking. I'm also thinking the weapons he used, the throwing needles. Hardly a killing weapon, I know if you hit a vital spot then yes it can kill, but they were designed to injury, to bring back the targets alive. The next problem was where he hit, the neck, with throwing needles it's easy to put someone in a death-like state." She stopped

"I-it can't be…" Hinata gasped

"I think it might be" Kurenai said sadly

"Might be what?" Naruto asked, clueless

"Zabuza is still alive. Putting someone in that state can have nasty side effects though, so we should have a week before he decides to show up again" She said attempting to stick to the positives

"What?!" Naruto said in disbelief

"Don't worry there's plenty we can do to prepare" She said calmly

"W-what is it sensei?" Hinata asked shyly

"Training" She said smiling at their reaction, which was aghast

"Training? Will help us against a Jounin ninja like Zabuza??" Sakura blurted out

"It will help, trust me" She said smiling now "Anyway it's getting late better be going to sleep, I want you up early"

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The next morning Kurenai was met by a barely awake Hinata.

"Hinata? Aren't you the early bird?" She said surprised to see anyone up as early as her

"Oh, I guess so" She said also surprised to see anyone up, even at home, she was usually the first one up by at least half an hour

"Hinata…" she poked her head to look into the other room to make sure the others were firmly asleep "…about Naruto…"

"O-oh?" Hinata blushed, "_Does she know?_" she began to feel very nervous very fast. Seeing this reaction Kurenai decided she might bring it up another time.

"…is he any good at chakra control?" She finished

"O-oh I'm not sure, I'm sure he could be" "_Oh thank goodness_" the blush fading, she breathed a sigh of relief

"Well it's about time anyway, could you wake them both up for me?" Kurenai said having checked her watch

"Okay" She said and back into the other room to do so. Sakura woke up easily, but She couldn't get Naruto awake, not wanting to wanting to wake up the rest of the house she asked Sakura for help.

"Figures, just poke him"

"Ugh, poke him?" Hinata asked, she hadn't really wanted to do that

"Never mind" Sakura sighed. She walked over and began nudging him with her foot. Eventually he came around

"Sakura-chan?" he yawned sleepily "What time is it?"

"It's about time you woke up, Hinata was trying for ages!"

"Oh? Sorry Hinata…" He pull himself out of bed and went to get dressed

Hinata was crestfallen she called Sakura with chan but not her. "_I wonder when he will notice me, and start calling me Hinata chan_" she said to herself.

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After Naruto was ready Kurenai lead them out into the woods nearby.

"Okay this is one of the most important exercises Genin do before they become Chunin." She began to explain

Already she had caught Naruto's undivided attention, not that it could divide.

"It's simple, so no worries, all you have to do is without using your hands, climb a tree" She explained, thoroughly enjoying their reactions. Although this did please her, she liked it even more when they mastered it.

"…How?" Naruto asked after staring at a nearly tree trying to imagine how.

"Yes I suppose a demonstration is in order" She walked up to a nearby tree, raised her to the tree like it was to floor, and continued to walk up it. The 3 Genin could merely stare in awe. She walked to the side on the underside of a branch, staring at them like a bat would. She bent down and held onto the branch with her arms, her feet fell with gravity and she let go and landed gracefully.

"There you go, just use a kunai to mark how high you get, and try to beat your own score, self motivation" She explained that they had to balance to amount of chakra on their feet right, too much and the chakra would throws them off, too little and then it just wouldn't happen, as Naruto found out first attempt.

Sakura had mastered it by the 3rd attempt, hanging happily upside-down.

"Great work Sakura-chan!" Naruto said happily, not wanting her to know he was annoyed she mastered it a lot faster than him.

He turned to Hinata who was also looking at Sakura. He was relieved he wasn't that far behind.

"Ugh, good work Sakura" she said just loud enough for Sakura to hear. Disappointed with herself, she wanted to beat Sakura so that Naruto would notice her. She checked her mark, well it was pretty high.

"Th-thanks great Sakura-chan" Hinata said in her usual soft voice. She looked up at her own tree, she was higher than Naruto, but she knew her chakra control was just as good ask Sakura's…but with Naruto here it was proving very difficult for her to put all her focus on the tree and the tree alone

"Thanks" Sakura called back.

"Ah Sakura well done" Kurenai called up. "Okay then, you can come down we'll train together, until Tazuna leaves, then you can go to guard him" She was pleasantly surprised that Sakura could master what is usually a very tricky exercise to master within minutes.

Naruto and Hinata continued to climb the trees. Sakura left, Kurenai gave them some pointers before she left with Sakura, decided if Gatoh did send someone its best she was there too.

-------------

That day they spent all day trying to get further, Hinata was managing to progress overall better than Naruto, however when ever complimented her she would lose her concentration. As the sun set they continued to train.

Hinata was now getting twice as far up the tree as Naruto.

"Hinata that's incredible!" He said surprised when he checked her mark again, "_I thought Hinata would be as good as me, but she's really good like Sakura_" he sighed it was time to swallow his pride

"Th-thank you, Naruto-kun" she said blushing a faint red she sat down for a breather, this was getting very tiring. She notice he was approaching her, and they were all alone, in the woods. As he got closer her blush got stronger until she was almost scarlet. He hadn't seemed to have noticed. He knelt down beside her.

"Um Hinata?" he said uncertainly

"Y-yes? Na-Naruto-kun?" She barely whispered

"You're pretty good at this, umm, can you help me? You know, give me some pointers? Please?"

"_Naruto-kuns asking me for help?_" She gulped, "umm, well, er, well…" She began to twiddle her index fingers "Well, it needs s-spiritual energy to w-work, so you must be c-calm, and stay focused on the tree…" As she explained how to control a focus his chakra he sat down beside her, both with their backs against the same tree, joined at the shoulders. Hinata of course, was a crimson colour in her face. Her words stuttered more but Naruto didn't seem to mind. She felt his head flop on her shoulders

"Um…….. Na-Naruto-kun?" She turned to look at him. He had fallen asleep. She didn't know what to do, should she wake him? No, but would he want her to? Maybe not. Failing to come up with a plan of action she did the thing she really wanted to, she rested back and tried to fall sleep too. She smiled as she drifted into sleep

-------------------------

"Where do you think they are sensei?" Sakura asked Kurenai. She considered for a minute, it was highly doubtful they were attacks, Zabuza would come himself. They had at least a few more days until he was in a condition to fight. In all likelihood they were still training.

"They're still training. I wouldn't worry about it" she replied finally. Sakura stared out of the window, she was curious how they were making progress. She wondered around the rest of the house, looking at decorations and pictures, then she spotted an odd photograph. It was Of Tazuna his daughter and his grandson, bit there was a chunk missing.

"Tazuna what's with this photograph?" She asked him curiously. He checked around, when he saw it was just those three.

"Kaiser, the man who is torn our, is called Kaiser." Tazuna explained how Kaiser saved Inari from drowning. And how be taught him the value of protecting things, even with his life. Inari had never had a father figure, so Kaiser meant the world to him. He smiled has he told them stories of the things Kaiser did, and how he eventually became known as a hero in the village.

"That's sounds nice" Sakura said smiling, resting her head on the desk re creating it in her mind.

"But that all changed…"

"Huh, why?" She picked herself up and began to pay attention again

"Gatoh came…." He told them how Kaiser tried to resistance Gatoh and how he was put aside.

"That's awful!" Sakura cried

"That's Gatoh's way of dealing with heroes, of course they would stop him overtaking, so that was his fate" Tazuna looked down, a few tears fell from his face. "That's why we must complete this bridge."

"It's getting late Sakura, we should get some rest" Kurenai said

"But what about Hinata and Naruto?" Sakura asked.

"They probably decided to stay out late, they'll regret it soon enough" Kurenai replied

----------------------------------------

Hinata, felt warm and comfortable like she was wrapped in a nice blanket that wasn't big enough to surround her. But part of the ground was rough, and she could feel a root in her side. Slowly she opened her eyes. She saw the base of a tree and grass, the suns light was shooting into her eyes, she began to close them again. But then remembered, what happened last night her eyes fired open. Slowly she turned on her back, and peered in her right, there was Naruto. The temperature of her face rose at an alarming rate, and her heart tripled its usual rate. They had slept like he was hugged her from behind, slowly, carefully and quietly she removed herself from his arms. She stood up and walked backwards eyes fixed on Naruto. She walked into a tree, and knelt down. "_Did he wake up? No, he couldn't of, could he?_" her mind raced frantically trying to remember if she did do anything, no, she was talking about chakra, and he fell asleep on her, and then she did. Although on the one hand she hand enjoyed it really, on the other there's was the embarrassment, of did he know? Did he wake up? And a series of other questions that were racing through her mind all at once.

He began to stir. She watched him, as he began to wake up. She decided she wouldn't be here when he did for fear of questions she'd be too embarrassed to answer. She quickly strolled off into the woods, after a few minutes she heard something. She approached the sounds, to a girl picking up herbs; she was dressed in pink robes and had long dark silky hair, with big brown eyes. She looked friendly enough, and Hinata didn't want to be alone with her thoughts right now, so she approached.

"Um, hel-hello?" she said as she approached. The girl looked up, and smiled

"Hello, it's early, I didn't think I'd find anyone else here besides me" she said with some surprise

"Me neither…" Hinata replied quietly

"What are you doing out here this early?" She said looked at Hinata curiously

"Umm, well, I was, tr-training with my friend…" Hinata said quietly

"I see, you must be … a ninja?" The girl said uncertainly eyeing the metal crest around Hinata's neck

"Um, yes, I'm not strong enough yet, my team is, I-I really want to catch up" Hinata said sadly, looked at the floor

"You look strong, maybe it's that your strength is different to your teams" She replied quietly

"huh? D-do you think?" Hinata said, looking up to the girl with smiled "But, I can't fight, and if I can't fight…then I can help my friend when they need me" She said again looking to the floor a sad expression written on her face.

"Oh, I guess nobody would like that feel over them" She said understandingly. After a few moments silence Hinata's eyes drifted to the basket the girl had with her. It was filled with herbs from the forest, she quickly directed her gaze elsewhere not wanting to seem nosey.

"So, are you doing it for someone you care about…? Or for yourself?" The girl asked looking back to Hinata

"Um, what do, I mean, for, s-someone else?" Hinata didn't want anyone to know how she felt, even if they couldn't possibly tell Naruto-kun

"Yes, you must be training hard if slept here all night. So I was just wondering, if you were doing it for someone who is precious to you" She said interested

"Um… er… w-what?" Hinata said trying to think of something to say, anything but the truth.

"A person is able to truly become strong when they wish to protect someone they cherish, that's why I was just wondering, do you have someone who is important to you?" She said staring at the floor deep into memories and thought. Hinata looked at her for a few moments before answering, wondering what she was thinking of or remembering.

"W-well, y-yes" She confessed. The girl smiled

"You'll become strong. Very strong" she said, taking her basket, and standing up

"We'll meet again" she said walking way.

----------------

Kurenai and Sakura were heading into the forest to where they had taken Hinata and Naruto. They arrived there but there was no sign of either of them.

"Hey Sakura-chan! Hey Sensei!" a voice called down from above. They looked up to see Naruto laying down on a very high branch towards the top of the tree with a grin plastered on his face.

"_He's able to climb that high now?_" Sakura thought.

"Good work, Naruto. But where's Hinata?" Kurenai called up, looking around some more.

"I'm here sensei" She said walking towards them from deeper in the forest. Naruto stood up, but lost his footing. He fell backwards.

"NARUTO!" Sakura screamed.

"NARUTO-KUN!" Hinata yelled looking at what was happening. But at the last possible moment he made the hand sign to sod upside down on the branch, he looked up at them with a grin

"Just kidding!" He laughed. Hinata's heart cancelled it's explosion, she raised her hand to her lips and breathed a sigh of relief.

"NARUTO! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR PLAYING AT!" Sakura shouted up at him, failing to make him feel sorry as his grin was still on. But then he started falling again. Once again Hinata and Sakura screamed out. But Kurenai Leapt out and caught him. The dropped on off at ground level.

"And that's why you shouldn't joke around" she said laughing.

"Yeah Naruto! You could have really hurt yourself!" She said trying to sound concerned "**You deserved that! CHA!"** her inner Sakura said from within.

"Okay guys, well I can see you still haven't quite mastered it yet, but this is the last day you can have on it. Then Zabuza might be well enough to make another attempt" She told them. "So do your best. Oh and try to come to the house tonight" She added resisting a smile. Hinata blushed remember where else she was last night, between Naruto-kun's arms. She wondered again if he remembered it, probably not.

"Any pointers I can give you before I go? Anything you feel you're having trouble with still, maybe?" Both Naruto and Hinata shook their heads. Sakura and Kurenai left to guard to bridge builder.

"Hey Hinata, sorry about falling asleep while you were talking last night" He said scratching the back of his head. He clearly didn't know Hinata thought, relieved

"Um, th-that's alright, Naruto-kun" She said as shyly as ever. He grinned at her, trying to remember what she had said last night or would he have to ask her again. "_Ugh, I don't want to seem rude… I'll just act like I remember_" He thought to himself, and with that he began to focus his Chakra once more.

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AN: Sorry for the delay, it's just for awhile my heart wasn't in it, and I didn't want to ruin it. I understand in terms of story line this is a meaningless chapter, it's more of how Hinata and Naruto's relationship grows.

Hope you enjoyed


	7. Battle on the Bridge!

**Disclaimer I do not own Naruto**

**Chapter 7 – Battle on the Bridge! (The Long Awaited)**

**(A/N: I Owe everyone who likes this and has been waiting for it several apologies I know. Sorry ' But now I bring you, the battle on the Bridge, I'm hoping this might be good enough for you to forget I suck about getting the updates in ', Please, I really hope you enjoy, after that waiting, you all deserve it :) )**

Naruto was stuffing his face full of food at an alarming rate. The whole table was staring at him with a mixture of awe and disgust. "_**Naruto! That's disgusting!!! How can you even put that much food in your mouth without it exploding!!**_**" **Inner Sakura screamed. Hinata was simply staring her mouth slightly open in amazement, not the usual kind she felt for Naruto though. Kurenai too could only stare and watch the horror show.

"Ow! Ish e ellie ood" He attempted to say, his mouth completely rammed with food.

"Naruto…. You don't have to fill your mouth until breaking point..." Kurenai said quietly. Naruto swallowed his current mouthful before replying.

"I know! But this is sooo good, and I'm so hungry!" He said grinning, Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well don't use some manners Naruto" Kurenai insisted. Naruto's grin dropped, but he started eat more politely afterward. He respected Kurenai a lot more after seeing her in action; he wasn't going to risk that anger.

Inari hadn't touch his food. He just sat there, his eyes hidden by his hat his anger gathering.

"What's the point?! You're only going to die! Like everyone else who stand up to Gatoh! That's what happens to heroes!" Inari shout with fury in his voice. Naruto wasn't standing for that….

Haku was using the herbs he had gathered on Zabuza. Zabuza was forcing it again; he would recover sooner than normal. But then that itself was normal for Zabuza. He was thinking back to the girl in the forest. "_A Hyuuga?_ _I have heard about them from Zabuza-sama, but I didn't know how they fought. From what I saw, there is more to their attacks than meet the eye. Releasing charka with each attack... a formidable opponent in hand to hand. Looks like there's no helping it, ill have to use that technique._"

He finished tending to Zabuza's wounds before leaving, If this against a Hyuuga, a new opponent he couldn't let Zabuza down, he had to get some last minute training in…

"…..Naruto-kun" Hinata began. Naruto stood up and left to room for fresh air. Inari was crying after being scolded by Naruto, being told that he was just a coward, he couldn't hold it in. Kurenai was shocked, one the one hand she should not let her pupil do that to a client, but on the other hand, he only said what needed to be said.

Shortly after Naruto returned, ignoring Inari he walked past the crying boy.

"I'm going to sleep, I'm tired" He told Kurenai, she nodded, it was getting late. She order he team to sleep also, after all no telling if Zabuza might try to send someone else to take out Tazuna.

Naruto was already in his pyjamas when Hinata came out from changing in the bathroom in hers. She smiled, his night cap as so cute she thought. He sleeping bad was next to his, remembering what happened last night bought on a faint pink glow from her cheeks. She got into her sleeping bag as Naruto got into his, Sakura and Kurenai were taking their turns to dress in their nightwear in the bathroom. Lying alone with Naruto in the semi dark room she wondered about what Kurenai-sensei had said, about Zabuza

"………Ano…..Naruto-kun?" She barely whispered. After a moment he answered her, in a quiet voice

"Yeah?"

"Ano, well do you think we'll be ready for Zabuza?" She asked quietly. Naruto paused before answering, truthfully he'd say no. But he couldn't say that out loud, after all, Hokage's are never defeated, so why should he?

"Of course, we beat him before didn't we? Besides, Sakura told me today about the Byakugan, can't wait to see yours!" He said, his usual enthusiasm returning to his voice. Hinata cheeks returned to a familiar pink "_That's right, I haven't used it infront of him yet…And he can't wait to see it?_"

"Being about to see the chakra network, what does it look like Hinata?" He asked his mind straying from the topic of the conversation. Hinata looked at him, then began piecing together the best way to explain it.

"Well, it looks like little strings of light coming from a person. It's actually quite pretty…"

"What you guys talking about?" Sakura asked who had appeared in the doorway, and moved to climb into her own bed.

"The Chakra Network, Hinata was telling me what it looks like" Naruto said, as he turned over to face the two girls.

"Oh, jeez Naruto I still can't believe you didn't know what it was" Sakura chuckled.

"W-What?! I knew what it was, I just didn't understand how Byakugan worked!" He said defensively.

"You liar! I know you didn't know what it was! You even didn't get how Hinata's attacks work!" She replied.

"Well it's more technical than a normal attack!" Naruto defended again. Hinata was suppressing a giggle, listen to them fight was amusing for her to listen to.

"Okay guys, knock it off now, sleep" Kurenai said, turning off the remaining light.

"WAKE UP!!" Sakura screamed at Naruto for the 4th time, this time adding a hard kick.

"WHAT THE HELL!!!" Naruto screamed as he hit the wall with a crash.

"Well that's what you get for being so lazy!" Sakura shouted. Naruto righted himself up and climbed out of his sleeping bag. "_Why is Sakura so mean?_" He got dressed and began brushing his teeth. "_So, Zabuza's going to come back then huh? Well I'm ready for him his time!_" Naruto's mind paused for a moment, having just thought of something that he'd not considered before "_Will that other guy be there too? I bet he will…He's mine!_" After he brushed his teeth, Naruto proceeded to the kitchen for breakfast, there he saw Hinata eating hers.

"Ohayoo, Hinata" He greeted in his usual loud cheery voice. Hinata who has been staring past everything snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at Naruto.

"Ohayoo, Naruto-kun" She said smiling. Naruto made himself something to eat before returning to the topic of last night.

"So what's it like to see 360 degree all the time?" Naruto asked after swallowing a mouthful. Hinata paused for a bit, thinking how she could answer.

"Ano, it's hard to explain" She finally said.

"Aww, well I bet it's awesome, I bet you'll be awesome" He said grinning. Hinata stared at him "_..Naruto-kun"_ pink in her cheeks slowly becoming stronger. Kurenai appeared in the doorway,

"Come on you two, hurry up and lets go, Tazuna is ready" She said, leaving from where she came.

They left the house following Tazuna for the 10 minute walk to the construction site. Naruto continued asking a variety of question about the Byakugan, Hinata was doing her best to try to explain, and Sakura was on occasion asking more sensible questions, and giggling as some of Naruto's. By the time they got to the bridge Tazuna realised he was down to 3 workers, including himself. The others were too scared of Gatoh to continue working on it. So he persuaded Naruto to help, his reasoning it should be no problem for a boy to do. Naruto used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to help with the load. They hadn't been working long before a thick mist appeared quickly from no where. "_Damn it! I thought we had more time than this!_" Kurenai thought. Sakura looked at her sensei, with a look of panic in her eyes

"It's him isn't it?" She asked nervously. Kurenai looked at her student, and gave a slow nod. The 4 ninja slowly formed a square around Tazuna and his remaining workers, kunai drawn, ready for anything.

"Hinata, Byakugan" Kurenai ordered quietly. Hinata nodded, and performed the signs

"Byakugan!" Her soft lavender eyes turned to a perfect white and the veins around her eyes became more visible. It didn't take her long to locate their enemy.

"There's two of them, on either side of the bridge, Zabuza on the left, the hunter ninja on the right." She whispered just loud enough for Kurenai to hear.

"Well I see there is no hiding from those all seeing eyes" The dark voice called out from the mist. "But then, that's part of why you Hyuuga are so feared." Zabuza and Haku appeared from the bridge entrance.

"Zabuza-sama, please, allow me to take the children" He said with a plea in his voice.

"Soft-hearted like always, Haku." Zabuza said, hinting it was a weakness "Fine, but don't hesitate to kill if need be" He ordered.

Kurenai and Zabuza focused into each others eyes, so they could see every little movement of each other, edging to the left away from the younger ninja.

"I'm sorry but I can't fail here" Haku said apologetically "Please, stand down and I won't have to hurt you"

"Hahaha!" Naruto guffawed "I wouldn't take us easy if I were you!"

"You can't match my speed, don't make me do something you'll regret" Haku warned.

"Bring it on!" Naruto shouted, charging at Haku. Firing a fist aimed at Haku's face. Haku dodged and sent a sharp kick to Naruto's gut, winding him. Naruto stumbled back, gasping for breath when a fist made connection with his head sending him to the floor "_Grrr, this guy is fast! But that's not going to help when I do this!_"

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" In a puff of smoke one Naruto became eight. Surrounding Haku, they attack simultaneously. Haku hit one into smoke but then was struck by a variety of punches and kicks, sending him into the air. Two Naruto's leapt up after him, Haku kicked on in the throat, defeating it when the other bought down a fist on his shoulder, sending him down to the others. "_There!_" Haku thought, spotting a puddle on the floor. He managed to land on his feet, with one foot on the puddle causing the water to splash in the air, staying crouched he quickly performed

"Sensatsu Suishou no Jutsu" The water in the air, suddenly formed into icy needles, and laughing at Naruto and his clones, as Haku leaped up again, avoiding them. Fortunately for Naruto his clone act as shield for him, but he was again on his own. Haku began twirling quickly, so quickly he looked like a small tornado. Naruto could do nothing but brace himself as Haku struck him. As Haku moved to attack again, Hinata appeared in front of him, in her gentle fist stance. Haku leap back, aware of the consequences of close combat with a Hyuuga. He found himself staring into the white eyes of the Byakugan, the eyes that revealed nothing, and saw everything. Before those eyes he was naked, an open book being read every moment, being predicted. _"It's no use, I'm going to have to use it_"

"Looks like this is unavoidable" He made the hand signs for his ultimate jutsu

"Makyou Hyou Shou" Slowly, lines of ice began to form around and above Naruto and Hinata in midair. The grew until they were large squares of ice, each containing a reflection, like mirrors. Hinata's jaw dropped, as she saw the chakra lining the mirrors, the positioning "_It's….It's just not possible!_" Haku stepped in a mirror, his image appearing in them all. She remembered being told of a clan from a ninja that had a particularly devastating technique, called Makyou Hyou Shou (Demonic Ice Mirrors) no one had ever survived once it had been used. Suddenly, a great number of senbon rained from all directions. She was doing her best to evade as many as possible but the number was beyond counting, she was hit several times. She saw Naruto, he had many sticking out of his flesh.

"Naruto-kun!" She ran to him, feeling his pulse. His eyes were close, and he wasn't conscious, but he had a pulse "Naruto-kun…" More senbon came; she could do nothing but shield Naruto with her body, and even then more hit him. She felt blood enter her mouth as the number of senbon that hit rose. She felt his pulse weaken "_Nooo!! This can't happen! I won't let it!_" As hard as she tried, she couldn't stop this metal rain from falling. _"There's….One thing I can do….but I've never been able to do it!!!_" Realising the reality of this situation, she had no choice but to go for it, it was her and Naruto's only shot. She gather her chakra, ignoring the pain she was in, and the feelings of doubt that surrounded her. "_This is it, all or nothing!_"

Kurenai was beginning to grow tired of the hand to hand she was engaged into. Zabuza had the edge with his experience and weapon. Unfortunately, the genjustu's she had been using were too weak, he was able to break from them, and he wasn't giving her any time to form a more powerful one. "_Truly Zabuza is a skilled Shinobi_" Zabuza swing for her again, she dodged, a delivered a back handed strike to Zabuza's wrist. "_An opening!_" With all her might, she drove a kick, into the dip in between Zabuza's ribs. She missed.

Hinata fell to her knee's. "_I should've know I couldn't do it, I can't do anything! I'm so usless…_" Her Byakugan deactivated due to chakra depletion. "_Is this it?_" Naruto stirred.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata said weakly, she couldn't help, even here, but smile "_He's okay…_" Naruto's eyes looked at Hinata, her cheek had a cut across it, her jacket had lots of senbon sticking out of it, and tears here and there. His eyes widened.

"Hinata?!" He yelled just as she fell. He checked her pulse, but he couldn't find one

"No! This is impossible! It **Must be!" **Rage was rapidly consuming his body. He felt the heat of hatred surge in his body, awakening an ancient evil. The feeling consumed him, and he felt a strange and awesome power bursting from within. His fists were leaking blood as his nailed sharpening and cut into his palms. His canines grew into fangs. Even the way he was seeing changed, everything was sharper, the mirrors a lot more blue, and where he knew the others where seems orange, yellow and red.

"**HOW DARE YOU HURT HINATA!!!**"He roared out. Haku was stunned as he saw the senbon sticking in Naruto melt away "_What is THAT?! That is no child! That's …..evil_" Throwing senbon at critical spots now going for the kill. The senbon hit, then sudden flew out.

"**I WILL KILL YOU!!**" He pounced at the neared mirror, shattering it completely. Haku flew out a shard hoping to get away, but the new Naruto was too fast. Naruto seized the body ankle in an iron grip, crushing the bone and he swing the boy against the floor with such fury the bridge ground cracked. He released his hold as he saw blood trickle from Haku's mouth, and pouring from his head. The remaining mirrors shattered. But still, Naruto's rage had not subsided. He was now watching Zabuza.

Zabuza turned when he heard the mirrors shattered. Kurenai looked too, and saw Naruto, but it didn't feel like Naruto.

"Haku…..was……defeated?! that's not possible!"

"Well well well, looks like the Hidden Demon can't even kill some kids!" Gatoh spat, with an army of thugs behind him. The man grinned, blissfully unaware of the current events on the bridge.

"Looks like I'm gonna have to kill you too, you useless excuse for a ninja!" Gatoh continued "Then I-" He was cut off…

"**IT'S YOUR FAULT THIS HAPPENED!!! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!!**_**" **_Naruto screamed as he charge at Zabuza on all fours, the red aura surrounding him. Zabuza quickly swung his sword at the attacker. Naruto slammed a fist down on the sword, bending like a piece of tin. Kurenai stared in horror "_Is the Kyuubi breaking free?!_" With blinding speed a fist found its way into Zabuza's gut, the fingered released from a fist and the tore nails deep into Zabuza's stomach.

"Uuuurrrrrggghhhh" Zabuza fell to the floor.

"Beaten by a kid?! Why did I hire you?!" Gatoh Yelled. Naruto's demon eyes followed the annoying sound to a short fat man in a suit _"__**GATOH**_**"**

"NARUTO!! NOOO!!" Sakura yelled running to him, stopped a few feet away. Naruto's vicious eyes look into hers. His rage began to fade away as he saw his team mate, and thought of the other one.

"Sakura-chan…..Hinata-chan is….she…" He fell to his knees ashamed by his failure to protect them. Sakura's eyes widened, she ran to where Hinata was. Kurenai looked over to where Hinata was, also in a state of slight disbelief. Zabuza rose slowly, holding the wound on his stomach, trying to stop some blood.

"I….no….longer have….business…..with…you…." He panted, Kurenai nodded and face Gatoh and his horde.

"Naruto, go to Hinata!" Kurenai ordered firmly. Naruto nodded, and ran off to her.

Sakura approached Hinata slowly, dropping to her knees and checking for a pulse. She found one. She breathed a sigh of relief. Slowly and carefully she began pulling out the senbon. Naruto came to her side, with a concerned look on his face.

"Sakura-chan…" He said sadly

"She's alive" Sakura said while carefully

"She is?! Wh-What can I do?" Naruto asked desperately

"Nothing, she need time and rest, is that guy alive?" She asked, pointed at Haku. Naruto approached the boy, checking for a pulse

"Yeah, he is….what should I do?" Naruto asked, uncertainly

"Stop the bleeding on his head. He's not our enemy anymore" Sakura said after a moment of thinking. Naruto looked back at the boy, he still felt rage deep in his stomach, and doubted if that feeling would ever truly go for the boy. But still, Hinata was alive, so he was prepared to forget it, for now. He took off the mask to reveal a very feminine like boy. He then used one of his own bandages to wrap up his head.

"Gatoh, if you value your life I suggest you crawl back into the slime hole you came from" Kurenai warned. Gatoh merely grinned, bending over his cane like an old man.

"Get em boys!" He yelled. The hordes behind him charged forward, weapons raised. Zabuza's hand left his wound and quickly formed signs.

"Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu" Several clones appeared, with his normal sword. The clones fought the horde. It was a slaughter, even though the clone only had a tenth of the users original strength, an elite Jonin was way too strong for common thugs. Eventually when the remains thugs either fled or gave up, the paling Zabuza approach the cowering Gatoh.

"Shall I tell you where we're going?"

When Hinata regained consciousness she felt warm and comfortable. The pain from before was gone. "_Naruto-kun?!_" She shot up, looking around, the room was empty, except for Naruto and Sakura by her side.

"Easy there Hinata" Sakura said, easing Hinata back down. "You were quite badly injured, Naruto thought you… Well, you're alright now" She said, smiling. Naruto gave a big grin.

"Yeah Hinata, you really gave us a scare back then" He said scratching the back of his head "I was really worried about you, truthfully" He said his grin dropping slightly. Hinata pulled the cover up to hide her blush. "I'm really glad you're alright Hinata"

"Ano, What happened? Did we fail?" Hinata asked quietly muffled from behind the covers.

"Nah, Hinata, I kicked that masked guys ass!" He said his grin returning to full size.

"You went psycho on him" Sakura pointed out.

"Well I was angry, I thought Hinata had been…Well you'd have gone psycho too!"

"No I wouldn't, you're just weird"

"What?! I'm not weird!! I wanted revenge!!"

"Yeah but I meant running around on all fours?! That's weird!!"

"Well … er.. it seemed like the thing to do…"

"See? You're just weird!!"

"Well I don't care! I beat him didn't I?!"

"Yeah but Sasuke could have done it better!"

"Eh? Sasuke? I'm stronger than that jerk!"

"Naruto….don't…..ever…..badmouth….Sasuke…..in front…..of ….me…..EVER!!!" Hinata smiled under the covers, least things were like before. Naruto and Sakura were okay, and Naruto was worried about her. "_He was probably only worried about me as a team mate but still…" _

"Yeah turns out Tsunami was kidnapped, but the guys who did it worked for Gatoh, once they heard he died they gave her up." Sakura was saying.

"Huh? Why was she taken?" Hinata asked.

"Try to force Tazuna to stop. But it's completed now anyway, too bad about the name though, eh Naruto?"

"What?! The name is awesome!" Naruto said grinning

"Ano, What did they call it?"

"The Great Uzumaki Bridge" Naruto and Sakura said.

(A/N Okay, that's all folks…well for now, as I said, I cannot apologise enough for the wait you guys have been on. I will be updating this regularly from now until it finishes. Hope it was worth waiting for and such. Have a nice day now :)

As always I appreciate and accept all criticism and opinion you have to offer so don't be shy, review me "


	8. Home Again

**Chapter 8: Home Again  
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Naruto sighed as he slid off his pack back from his shoulders. It landed with a loud thud on the floor, at the same time Naruto threw himself on his bed.

"Ahhh, good to be hack home finally." He said to himself as his cheek brushed against his pillow. His mind went over the events of his mission. He wondered to himself if every mission would be like that. "_I think I understand the true importance of teamwork now. Doesn't matter how strong I am, if I can't work well with the team, then all my training and strength counts for nothing."_ After a few moments of pondering that, he laughed inwardly. Sasuke would suffer now, even if the teme was top of the class, if his team holds him back there's nothing he can do. "_I wonder how much stronger he's got._" Naruto sat up. "_I won't lose to him… But to beat him, I have to train myself hard. But to be better on mission I have to train with my team. Ugh that's annoying!_" He clenched his fist, and then winced. He looked down at his hand, the purple bruise was settling in. He's always thought of himself as a fast healer, but this was taking much longer than normal.  
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_[Flashback]_

_Zabuza quickly swung his sword at the attacker. Naruto slammed a fist down on the sword, bending it like a piece of tin._

_[End Flashback]  
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That red chakra…could it be…?

There was a knock at the door. Snapped out of his own thoughts Naruto made his way to the door and opened it. Standing before him was someone he would never have expected.

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He picked himself up, his body felt so heavy. Getting back into his stance, his opponent crossed his arms.

"It's pointless; I can see you're barely standing. Every time you pick yourself up and try again the results will be the same. You will never beat me, it's destiny."

"That is not true. I know that hard work and determination can beat genius!" Lee answered with all the confidence he could met his eyes with his own pupil less ones. Reading Lee like a book, he saw the fleeing confidence, the losing of hope. He closed his eyes and smiled.

"Your losing to me is inevitable. Accept it" Neji spat coldly. TenTen looked between them.

"Lee, you can't beat Neji, he's a genius. You shouldn't push yourself like this." Seeing her words have no impact on the situation, she tried a different approach "Lee, if you push too hard, it could interfere with your training" Lee looked at her, eyes wide.

"B-But-!" He began.

"Lee, you can't win. You need to accept that, Neji was born a genius, neither you nor I can beat him" TenTen said forcefully. Lee lowered his stance. "_One day Neji! I will defeat you, and prove that perseverance and hard work can beat down things you were born with!_" With those words in mind, despite the damage his chakra system he taken, he restarted his fierce training. He had ran off to train his speed and endurance, TenTen turned to Neji.

"Did you really have to go so hard on him?" She said softly. Neji shot her a cold glance.

"He must learn that he will **never** beat me, such is his destiny" Neji told her. After a moment he turned and walked away. He himself needed to train for the upcoming event.

TenTen sighed. If only Lee would stop picking fights with Neji maybe he wouldn't be so distant. She had longed to get to know Neji a bit better, being fascinated by his abilities. But he would never speak of himself in a conversation, if it was even conversation at all. She talked, and he much pretty much ignored her. Lee was obsessed with training, so she could never really have a good conversation with him either. Though least with him she didn't feel like she was talking to a brick wall. "_Well I suppose I should get to training too. After all my new technique is far from perfected…_"

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Naruto let him in. Curious as to what the teme wanted. Closing the door behind him, then making his way onto his bed again.

"You can sit down if you want to ya know?" Naruto offered lazily. Sasuke looked about him, and sat on the arm of a brown chair. Naruto studied him, he obviously felt out of place, this wasn't like the Sasuke he knew. "_A henge maybe? By who? Why?_"

"So I hear you bought back a new Shinobi" Sasuke said, breaking the silence. Naruto looked at him "_How did he hear that so quickly?? We've only got back within the hour_"

"Yeah, Haku. Shinobi from the village hidden in the mist" Naruto said, leaning back on his bed, his hands behind his head.

"What are his powers?" Sasuke asked. "_Ahh I get it now, he's checking it all out. Not a henge after all, that's DEFINATLY the Sasuke I know_"

"Ugh, water jutsu's" Naruto said half-heartedly, and deliberately in low detail to annoy the teme. Sasuke scowled, "_Same old Naruto…"_

"So he knocked you out before you saw anything, never mind then" Sasuke said causally "_And now he starts talking to prove me wrong…_" He resisted a smirk, he still knew how to play Naruto. Naruto sat up, fists clenched, then he winced again "_Dammit, that Sasuke!_" His wince didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke however.

"No! I beat him! He has this bloodline kenki gakki or something to control ice or water or something!" Naruto yelled frustrated.

"Kekkai Genkai, Naruto" Sasuke corrected. "_To control Ice and Water?? What the hell kind of ability is that??_" Hungry for more information he pressed on.

"What do you mean control ice and water?" Sasuke said, his confusion clear in his tone. Naruto paused for a moment before speaking, a huge grin on his face, then launched into the details account of his mission, exaggerating certain facts to make himself sound would scowl every time Naruto repeated on hovered over a part where he looked good, just to annoy the teme.

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Hinata sighed. She had just finished explaining the events of the mission to her father. He had told her she let her team down by loosing toHaku, and that it was a miracle that her weakness didn't cost the team their lives.

"I know I'm weak… but… I won't give up" She said to herself quietly as she knelt in her room, going over her thoughts. "_I want to be like you Naruto…"_ She thought before starting unpacking. Her mind went over the events of the mission, the battle with Zabuza, the incident in the forest to which she smiled to herself at now looking back. Her mind hovered over that memory, replaying it, then changing things like her escaping, and what might've happened. She sighed yet again she found herself daydreaming about the could be's when she should be thinking about training, or actually making it happen.

After unpacking she decided to train until it was lunch time. As she struck blow after blow her mind again began to wonder. This time about the mysterious boy with the icejutsus. She remembered seeing Naruto regain consciousness, then passing out.

"_But how did Naruto beat him?_" She thought to herself. She had the utmost faith in Naruto to overcome any obstacle. But her curiosity remained, just how had he beaten him. She couldn't think of any jutsu she'd seen him use that might've been enough. Smiling softly she thought "_That's Naruto-kun for you, The number one unpredictable ninja_"

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Naruto was stuffing his mouth with ramen. Having tempted Sasuke with the promise of a free meal on him, he'd persuaded Sasuke to come along too. In truth he felt he'd given so much away for free, it could have been a good bargaining chip to get information out of Sasuke. Of course it was only after he finished his story did the thought ever even occur to him, so here he was trying to make light conversation with a stone.

"So, what's your team been up to?" He asked in between mouthfuls.

"Just some lame mission around the town. Recently we've moved up to delivering messages to outposts and towns but that's nothing either." Sasuke said glumly, pondering over the excitement of Naruto's mission. He was jealous Naruto's team got to go on that mission; he could see himself, testing his skills againstHaku.

"Haha! Pretty jealous of me then I bet!" Naruto teased loudly. Sasuke scowled, then smirked.

"Maybe so, but least I've learnt more than one jutsu since I left the academy" It was Naruto's turn to scowl.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sasuke felt like an ice cube had been slide down his spine. Her turned to see Sakura walking towards him "_Oh not fair, I left all this behind at the academy_"

"How are you Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said sitting next to him smiling. Sasuke sighed, he'd been having a good, well, _ok_ time.

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Ino sighed. Once again she somehow found herself in the familiar BBQ restaurant watching Chouji stuff himself. Shikamaru and Asuma usually talked about boring things, sometimes she didn't even understand, today was one of those days. She barely scraped a passing grade onchakra theory, now they were talking about something complicated that made her head want to make up something more fun. She sat there, hand on her cheek staring out the window, boredom obvious on her face. She turned back to her fantasies whereSasuke would declare his love for her, and sweep her off her feet and….

Shikamaru found himself watching Chouji eat. He and Ino spent 5 minutes eating; Chouji had been at it for 50 minutes. He had been talking to Asuma-sensei about The way different element worked against each other. He figured it could be worth knowing considering he knew unlike the other rookie 9 what was round the corner. After some time it became too troublesome, too many details, so he let the conversation dry up. Though he soon found himself back to watchingChouji eat. He looked at Ino who was sitting next to him with a dreamy smile plastered on her face her eyes staring into nothing. He nudged her.

"What?!" She hissed, she was just getting to the good part.

"I can't daydream without clouds, so it's not fair that you're allowed to" Shikamaru said simply. A vain popped.

"Shikamaru… don't be so selfish!" She said through clenched teeth. Shikamaru edged away. Chouji was oblivious as he lined up another row of meat. Asuma was going through his wallet.

Ino sighed, turning towards the window again "_Why does Asuma sensei have to have so much money?_"

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Naruto was lost. After Sasuke escaped Sakura suddenly remember she had to be somewhere. He paid for the ramen then reflected on what Sasuke had said "_Least I've learnt more than one jutsu since I left the academy_" So here he was, the Library.

He never remembered it being so huge as he walked through the vast shelves that were filled with countless books and scrolls. He hadn't even found thejutsu section. " _Is there a Jutsu section?_" He suddenly thought to himself. The logic kicked in, a section in a public Library full of dangerous techniques, of course not!Naruto mentally grumbled. Why did he have to think of the obvious things AFTER he started something? He walked up to the desk. There was a teen girl reading a magazine there chewing on gum.

"Ugh, You know where to go for some kind of Jutsu section? If there even is one…" He asked quietly. She looked up from her magazine with a puzzled expression.

"They don't write those things down in a public library, ask a jounin or somethin' I dunno" She said lazily her eyes returning to the gossip column.

Naruto sighed, yet again Murphy's law was in effect, and being strictly enforced against him. He slumped his hand in his pockets and strolled out of the building. As he walked down the steps his mind was elsewhere thinking. He dawdled through the town thinking where or who he might be able to score some techniques or training out sensei had occurred to him, but genjutsu wasn't really his thing.

"Hey! What do you mean you're replacing him?!" An angry voice shouted. Naruto's head snapped up, his attention back on reality. He put his back to the wall, and edged towards the corner, round which the voices were coming from.

"Jus' what it sounds like" A bored yet slightly annoyed voice replied, at normal level.

"Still, I can't say that I'm comfortable with-" A softer, female voice started, but was interrupted.

"Screw you, Serrato!" The first voice spat. There was a slight pause, Naruto heard the movement of someone standing.

"You wanna make somethin' of it?" The other voice replied, drooling with aggression. Another pause.

"All bark an no bite" He finished, apparently walking away, judging by the fading footsteps. Once the footsteps were out of earshot there was a loud bang.

"Calm down Kensei! Jeez, why do you have to get so emotional all the damn time?" The female voice said firmly.

"Don't tell me you-" He replied angrily

"No" She quickly interrupted, after a momentary pause she continued "I don't know what sensei is thinking. Or what is going on. But for now you'd better just start dealing with it. I didn't come all the way to this stupid place to listen to you whine. It sucks, yeah, but I intend to pass these exams. As a matter of fact, our chances are better without-"

"Don't dare even finish that!" He hissed.

Naruto's mind was racing, clearly these people where not from around here, so the question became, who exactly were they and what are they doing here? He edged closer to the corner, sneaking a peek at them. Looking at their clothing, there were defiantly not leaf ninja. He focused on the headband on the girls shoulder. He couldn't make it quite out, but it looked like a jug. Heleant back behind his cover.

"What's going on around here?" He said to himself silently.

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Sarutobi sighed to himself as he shifted the final load of his paperwork aside. For a days work he had completed it quite fast, at least he thought so. Though his mind was unable to go at ease, as theChuunin exams were right around the corner. Naturally he was concerned for all teams involved that belonged to Konoha , he now felt an issue that was at the back of his mind was now a necessity. He stood and started shifting through files in a cabinet. He continued until the documents of the rookie 9 were in his hands. He sat back down at his desk and began looking through them.

"So it seems my concerns were not merely so." He said to himself as he noticed the jumbled order. Someone had gotten Hyuuga Hinata and Uchiha Sasuke's positions mixed up. He would have to decide now if that should be righted.

On the one hand, if he did, that would be messing up the teams, at any rate so close to an event this big that wouldn't be the best idea. Though the teams were designed so they could work together effectively, so that shouldn't be underestimated either.

"Hm" Sarutobi thought aloud "This is a very 'troublesome' situation."

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"Peh, what a boring backstreet dump" He hissed to himself. He paced quickly through Konoha hands in his pockets, slouching slightly forward his eyes only half open as he continued his exploration. His mind not moving from its focus, despite the walkintenting to get him out of his mind. "Damn Kensei. I swear if we face each other in these exams, I'm gonna blow your freakin head off." He kept in his mind.

It was then he came across the most peculiar sight. A girl, watching a girl, watching a boy, watching his team. He was looking down on the sight from a higher level. He had been strolling through the park or something when he came to a dead end and happen to catch them from the view the area offered. He couldn't help but crack a grin. What is this?? He thought resisting a chuckle.

A pink haired leaf ninja, young, probably about 12, watching another Leaf ninja, female with dark hair, who was watching a blond haired brat who seemed to by spying onKensei and Konata. His eyes narrowed over Kensei. His mind locking on to him, and the promise to himself to kill him if he got the chance.

Still. He could not resist the idea of mischief here. He slowly knelt down as though they would all spot him at any moment. And picked up a small pebble, and rose up again. Looking between theblonde kid and the dark haired girl he aimed for the perfect spot, then threw it!

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The loud sound of something crashing into the wall behind him made Naruto whirl around looking for the source of the sound when his eyes made contact with someone else's. A pupil-less pale lavender eye peeking around the corner at him. Before it widened for the briefest of moments and shot out of sight. For a moment he paused, his alarms turning off his brain re-engaged thinking mode. "Hinata caught my attention for something, I had better go see what it is" he said quickly making his way to her hiding spot unaware of a spectator smirking triumphantly at the scene.

"Hinata?" he said looking around the corner. The girl slowly turned her scarlet face to his her back to the wall. "What is it?" he said in a slightly hushed voice, believing from what just happened that was the intentions.

"Oh…." Hinata breathed. She was caught. No way of escape, no way to deceive with a good reason. She gulped. How was she going to get out of this one.

An idea. An extremely embarrassing idea, but it could work! Naruto was merely focusing on her, waiting patiently for something.

In the background Sakura who had merely noticed Hinata following Naruto was now watching the scene unfold. She couldn't resist but follow Hinata and now this? What was this??

"Um, Well I was.." Suddenly a better idea hit her, saving her from a very poorly thought up excuse "Wondering what you were looking at" she said quickly, as though by finishing that she was allowed to breathe once bought it, and his eyes lit up, then narrowed casting a shifty eyes glance around.

"Well, I noticed some weird ninja's in our village" he whispered his hand blocking the sound to anyone else "Their headbands don't have leaves!" he whispered amazed by the fact. Hinata on the other hand had a good idea who they were and why they were here.

"Well isn't about time for the Chuunin exams?" she replied quietly as though she had to keep her voice lower than it's normal low level. Naruto blinked and folded his arms, letting out a nervous grin

"Well that was my guess yeah!" he announced loudly again, standing up straight and folding his arms "But I had to check you know?" he laughed nervously scratching the back of his head. Hinata's blush was calming down, and at his reaction to had to let out a smile. SuddenlyNaruto stopped laughing and paused.

"Say, Hinata?" He asked, lowing his hands and looking at the floor thoughtfully. "Do you suppose we'll be taking the exams?" he asked, his tone spilt evenly between nervous and excited. Hinata looked at him for a moment her focus miles away.

"I don't know Naruto-kun. I-I guess Kurenai-sensei will mention it… M-Maybe?" she said uncertainly, her eyes looking into Naruto's again.

"Hmmm, I hope she does!" he burst out whilst trying to seem thoughtful on the subject. Hinata only smiled in reply.

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Sakura sighed. No good watching. Why she was so curious to begin with was a mystery. So she dragged herself away from the scene before she did something stupid. She walked aimlessly. Only she couldn't get the picture out of her head. What was this feeling? Was she… lonely? Jealous? Of what?! Her mind instinctively retorted.

Thinking about it she couldn't be jealous. She didn't want Naruto-Baka's company, and it's high time he stopped harassing her. And she certainly didn't want to spend more time with Hianta, Miss-whispers.

Even thinking that, she found herself falling into a rather foul mood. Her fists clenched. Where was this coming from? She was getting angry over herself getting angry at this point. Until smack.

She found herself on the floor looking up at a shadow in front of the sun.

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"Hey Naruto?" Came a familiar voice from the young Nara. Naruto and Hinata both turned and looked to see the Lazy ninja waiting for their attention, apparently he'd been there for a minute or two already.

"Hey Shikamaru!" He beamed "All set for the Chuunin exams?" he boasted, smirking. Shikamaru only raised an eyebrow

"Didn't figure you'd be one to remember that's coming up." He said surprise in his voice obvious. "Whatever, Apparently your teams is to meet up withKurenai at the Hokage tower to see the old man. And no, I don't know anything just that I was told to tell you" he said before he was bombarded by and Hinata looked at each other before making there way to the tower.

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"Hey billboard-brow!" Ino's voice called from behind Sakura "Your team is supposed to meet the Hokage" she said looking at the stranger. "Who are you?" she added. Sakura stood up and backed up a pace standing next to Ino, eyes focused on the stranger. He studied them both momentarily then smirked.

"Just here for the exams girls" he said, turning away. "Is that is?" He thought amused "Konoha's the nation it is today with weaklings like that?" he spat in his head "What a bad joke"

The two girls looked at each others before retreating. Sakura remembering what Ino said, using that as an excuse to get away a little faster. That guy was….. weird, in a bad way.


	9. The Chuunin Exams Begin!

**Author Notes & Responses:**

**I am now aiming for regular updates, at least once every few days. **

**Personal response to Fury074 who said: **Proof read before posting. Your selling and grammer are poor.

**I will try, though your mistake in a post that criticizing my writing was hilarious, thanks for the laugh. As always I welcome any and all reviews, thought if you need to criticize something, please do so in appropriate wording. **

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**Chapter 9: The Chuunin Exams Begin!**

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"Sasuke?" Naruto said, dumbfound. He arrived with Hinata to find Kurenai, the Masked Perv and Sasuke's team, Kiba and Shino. Behind him Sakura arrived.

"What's going on Kurenai-Sensei?" He asked, not knowing anything. Unfortunately for him no one here did.

"I'm not sure." She answered looking at Kakashi who shrugged. The doors opened before them, revealing Sarutobi sitting behind his desk, pipe in his mouth with a rather serious expression on his face.

"Come in please" he said, his voice almost commanding. The two teams obeyed and entered the room, closing it shut behind them. Both jounin looked at the Hokage questioningly before daring to speak.

"What is this about? Hokage-sama" Kakashi asked, his visible eye studying the old man carefully.

"This is about the teams here." He replied "It has come to my attention there has been a mix up involving the teams" he said, pausing allowing the information to be soaked in. Everyone in the room reacted after a pause. The atmosphere became rather tense.

"Now we must decide if we are to fix this or let things settle as they are" He said, his voice allowing everyone in the room to know this was a weighty decision and something that must be decided carefully.

The two jounin already clicked who was in the wrong group. Hinata and Sasuke, it was rather obvious.

Most of the Genin however didn't know, nor did they have a particular interest. From their perspective they were just starting to get used to their teammates and what they were like. From Naruto's perspective, who was being to grasp how truly important teamwork was, he couldn't understand how it was even an option. He also felt that due to almost fear of getting Kiba or Sasuke. Hinata and Sakura were roughly on the same page. They understood that a change would be hard work, having to get used to another member or two.

Sasuke felt as though he didn't care. Though this was just something he was telling himself. Inside he secretly (secret even to himself) wanted to be on Naruto's team. He was hoping Sakura and he were on the wrong teams, or Kiba and Naruto were on the wrong teams. He wasn't especially fond of Kiba or Sakura, and thought Shino and Hinata were at least bearable. Kiba was just hoping to get rid of Sasuke and avoid getting Naruto in exchange. While Shino had already worked out who was on the wrong team. Still he said nothing.

"This decision will be based on your answer to the following question" Sarutobi began, studying the looks of the Genin, quickly spotting their thoughts from their looks alone. It seems the change was relatively welcoming to Kakashi's team, and feared by Kurenai's. "What is your choice about the Chuunin exams?" He asked.

Both Jounin understood exactly. It was irregular to be asked this in front of your squad, and not in front of the other teachers, but this was an irregular situation. The Hokage looked at Kakashi to choose first.

"I Hatake Kakashi Nominate all 3 of my students, Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, Uchiha Sasuke." He said, formally and clearly. His team looked at him, clearing delighted. Kiba grinned madly, Sasuke smirked eyes closed and Shino re-positioned his glasses.

"I Yuhi Kurenai Nominate all 3 of my students, Haruno Sakura, Hyuuga Hinata, Uzumaki Naruto" She said, equally as clear. Naruto grinned, hands behind his head, very proud that Kurenai-sensei thought they were up to it. Hinata was rather neutral, more curious of the possible team changing than the Chuunin exams. Sakura was acting pleased her sensei nominated her in front of Sasuke, but also secretly worried.

The Hokage nodded "In that case I feel it would be unwise to split up teams that are going to have to rely on each other so heavily in the upcoming days" He finished taking another breath of his pipe "The exams start in 5 days. You have until then to make your decisions, if you accept, go to the location told by your teachers." He said directly to the genin in the room. "Until then I suggest you train, but not too hard. You don't want to break anything" he said encouragingly as possibly with such words to the genin.

The teams exited the room and spilt up their separate ways, a look being exchanged between Naruto and Sasuke.

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They walked around the town a little. It wasn't a bad looking place, but the buildings back in Suna were much more impressive. He hadn't found anyone yet. No one interesting at all. He hoped they were out on missions because if this was all Konoha had to offer, he was afraid he wouldn't be about to keep mother happy.

Kankuro felt Gaara's disappointment; this was always going to spell trouble for him. With any luck he'd disappear in a whirl of sand so he could go back to the hotel. God he hated kids, and this place was full of them. Running around, bumping into people, screaming, singing annoying as hell chants. Ugh it was enough to make him want to just quit and go home now. The only reason he didn't was because he wasn't only here for the Chuunin exams.

Temari walked around with her brothers with a board expression on her face. It wasn't so much that, just that there wasn't anything interesting about this place. It was normal, nothing here stood out as impressive. She had to give the Hokage monuments some points but that aside, Suna was just that much more impressive looking. Though the cooler air was welcoming, she was used to the desert heat but this wasn't cold, and was a nice break. It was then they stopped. Or rather, Gaara stopped, they were in the park. Gaara was eyeing a shadowy figure under a dark shade hanging over the rails looking over some streets. She looked from one to the other. She knew anyone with a clue must be able to feel the vision of Gaara staring into you, so why wasn't he reacting. Not so much as a turn of the head. Apparently this guy was out of it. Gaara seemed to think so too as he continued.

"He'll do nicely" Gaara murmured to himself.

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He felt them move on. One of them had a large Chakra pool, no, enourmous, he didn't even need to try and sense it, it was just obvious. He wondered briefly what the deal was, before shrugging it off and smirking. Even if Konoha didn't have anyone good, it seems Suna wasn't about to let him down. His grip on the railings hardened. This was going to be so much fun!

He could feel it in his bones.

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Team 4 stopped on the steps from the Hokage Tower. Kurenai looked at them seriously for a moment before proceeding with what she had to say.

"I nominated you because I believe in each and everyone one of you" she said making as much eye contact as possible "But for the next few days we are going to have to get to some serious training." To which Naruto beamed. Hinata and Sakura were focused on their sensei, ready for any and all advice. "I have to confess something. Though I must remind you I did nominate you because I had faith, I was also aware not doing so could have broken up our team. In the country of waves you more than proved yourselves capable of outstanding teamwork. You'll need that and then some to pull this one off though." She said, emphasizing the serious need for improvements. Naruto's smile was gone, replaced by a serious expression that told her he understand she meant business. Hinata felt her confidence wane, was she trying to say they weren't properly prepared for this?

Kurenai looked at her team and smiled "I am proud you are my team, and I know, that with a little hard work over the next few days you'll have a good chance with this" Her team looked a bit grim now, but there wasn't really much she could say. The Chuunin exams are hard, of course they are. Pretending that wasn't the case wouldn't help matters, but over the next few days she needed to get some serious work done on all of them. "Meet at training ground 6 tomorrow at 8 am sharp" she instructed, vanishing leaving no time for questions.

They stood there awkwardly for a moment, wondering what they should do right now. Naruto looked between the two girls, both looked severely depressed, staring at the floor, lost in thought. Sakura stood there with her arms slouched, looking mindlessly into the concrete, Hinata stood with her hands in front of her face her eyes unfocused on anything.

"Ramen anyone?" he suggested smiling at his own genius. Sakura snapped up and scowled. Hinate looked up and smiled nervously.

"Naruto we ate like 3 hours ago, you can't want more already…" she half questioned. Ignorantly unaware this was ramen they were talking about, Naruto was always going to be wanted more. His expression revealed this and she resigned. "Well if that's what you want, I'm going to…" she trailed off, what was she going to do? She could do a little training right now, for all it was worth it might help. "train" she finished, her focus returning to Naruto as she set off confidently. He watched her walk out of sight before returning to Hinata.

"There's no way two people can say no to ramen, so let's go!" he laughed, leading the way. Hinata merely stood there. Grateful she didn't have to stammer a "Yes I love you" She paused in her head. She breathed a sigh of relief, thank Kami that mistake was in her head. Realizing Naruto was leaving her behind she quickly ran to catch up.

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She left him behind. If he was going to be so moody then there's no way she'd drag his sorry butt around with her. Kami knows life's depressing enough without dragging one around the place. Being the rather lazy kunoichi she was, she was looking for something fun to do, and by looking that meant sitting there doing nothing waiting for something to happen. Her logic being if she moved around she might move away from something interesting and fun. In her own mind sound and undeniable.

It was a nice day, the town was rather beautiful, much nicer than home at least she thought so. She sighed a little, Chuunin exams right around the corner, but not close enough. She knew at some point she would be stuck with her teammates for a lengthy period of time, probably most of the time listening to them bickering. That's why she had this…… her secret weapon. He fingers confirmed it in her pocket, before relaxing again, so long as she had that, it would be fine. She thought back to what was really important, once she became a Chuunin she might never have to work with Kensei again! Admittedly she would miss her currently replaced teammate, but sacrifices had to be made.

She really hated broody 'geniuses'.

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Naruto and Hinata sat eating ramen, just the two of them. Naruto oblivious as always as to this, while Hinata had to pretend her face was red due to the steaming bowl infront of her. Ayame constantly 'sneaking' looks at the couple, hoping to spot something.

"So, Hinata" Naruto said, turning away from another empty bowl to face her "What else do you know about the Chuunin exams?" He asked again scratching the back of his head "Truth be told I don't really know anything about them" Hinata looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before answering

"Well, no one knows much about them, the working of the test is a closely guarded secret so people can't specialize to pass it. All I really know is the finals are a big tournament that many important people go to see." She said looking at the space on the counter in-between them. Naruto 'hmmed' thoughtfully for a moment looking at the same spot before asking another question

"So, why do important people go to see it?" he asked, "I mean, wouldn't the Jounin exams or something be more important?" he asked.

"Well, I-I don't know much about the Jounin exams, but I would imagine the fighting would be too intense to simply be spectated." To which Naruto nodded understandingly. The thought of Kakashi and Zabuza facing off in an arena didn't sound exactly plausible in his head. "But I guess the Chuunin exams are watched to understand what kind of ninja are growing in each village." To which Naruto again nodded understandingly even though this one he still didn't quite grasp as cleanly.

"Heh, I get it now" he laughed smiling at her "Jeez, you're so smart Hinata, lucky you're on MY team" he laughed, thinking nothing of it. To Hinata however, it was enough to make her look at the remains of her ramen, her shoulders and legs closing in, as though she was trying to become as small as possible. The heat in her face flaring. Over the past few months of seemingly endless D rank missions, the Genin test and their adventure in the wave, she had well learnt that Naruto cared about his friends, one of them being her. But this was a little more personal. It made her smile, she looked back up at Naruto who had begun on another bowl and wondered. She would have liked to have said something similar back, but her courage hadn't been prepared enough for that.

"Well Hinata, I've got training to do!" he said smiling at her. "Meet you tomorrow, oh, and don't worry about the ramen" he said ignoring any signs of protests handing over some notes and then running off.

Hinata watched him run off, a soft blush still on her cheeks. He'd paid for a meal with just the two of them, it wasn't a date, but it was personal. She was happy with that.

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Over the following few days every team was made sure to constantly be wet from sweat, and out of breath from exhaustion. Even the number one hyperactive ninja Naruto was made to be exhausted. Kurenai had Naruto work on Taijutsu with his clones, instructing him to fight smarter, more upright, his kicks should flick more so his enemies could not catch them, as she demonstrated easily. His punches needed to be straighter. Not that they knew it, but the clones improved his speed of grasping the teaching Kurenai provided, resulting in swift improvements from Naruto.

Hinata worked hard herself to feel as though she could keep up with her team, Naruto in particular. She focus hard with her Byakugan, trying to become both more proficient and efficient with it. She focused her training on speed. She couldn't tell what was to come, perhaps she ought to train her flexibility, but she would need help for that, and she would need help, and she felt that would be a burden on her team that was trying so hard to improve too. So instead she improved on her own as best she could, always aiming to strike just a little faster. Her attacks only required speed, she didn't need to be stronger, her chakra control was already good enough for her current level, but speed would always be useful.

Sakura practiced in a variety of areas. She worked her on kunai and shuriken throwing abilities, she worked with Kurenai sensei on detecting and dispelling genjutsu and worked on her Chakra control by advancing the Tree climbing exercise. She had asked about learning Genjutsu from Kurenai-sensei herself, but Kurenai had to point out training fundamentals was far more useful at this point than learning genjutsu she would only just get started on in time for the exams. She felt a little disappointed with herself when in her breaks she saw Naruto and Hinata, they were so much stronger than she was. But she realised she would have to catch them up later, Kurenai was right when she had said there wasn't time for anything new just yet.

At the end of the final day they each felt proud of themselves. They hadn't gotten much stronger, but everyday each of them felt it. They had every day improved enough for them to notice it.

"Team 4" Kurenai declared, her students quickly round up to her "Over the past few days you have worked hard, you have given it your all, and I am confident entering you in the exams was the right choice" She said with a smile, she took out the passes and handed them out to her team "Take these to room 325 in the Academy tomorrow at 1500 hours. Don't be late. But" She said, looking at them with serious eyes "If you feel you are not quite ready you don't have to go" She said, emphasizing every word. Seeing the reaction from her students she continued "It is a personal choice, there is no shame in not entering if you do not feel confident enough in yourself this time around" she finished explaining. The slightly offended or worried looks of her students faded away. "I'll see you before then, but for now, have a good nights rest. You'll need it"

Each of her students stood there awkwardly for a moment considering their own abilities. Naruto was the first to shrug it off. He was going to be the Hokage after all. He turned to the two kunoichi with a grin plastered on his face.

"Well, tomorrow we'll be on the road to become Chuunins!" he said happily. Hinata and Sakura looked at him, and soaked in some of the confidence he was oozing. Both smiled with confidence and nodded. "Well I'll catch you both tomorrow. I've got someone I want to see." He said waving happily before departing.

Hinata and Sakura began to walk back together silently. Each lost in their own thoughts. While their confidence was renewed the pressure of the clearly difficult exams wasn't something they could shrug off like Naruto. When they came to break up they said their goodbyes and both went their separate ways.

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Hinata was getting ready for bed. Her mind was utterly focused upon the exams still, reflecting on the Genin exams. She touched her leg. She could only hope that this time things went better, or atleast not any worse. She thought about how hard the enemies were then, and how hard they would be this time, had she improved enough? Or was she being a fool?

She thought about hiding behind the excuse the team needed her. But it probably wasn't true, Kurenai-sensei had said it was an individual choice. So it wasn't enough to pretend she had to do it for them. It came down to her, was she strong enough for this? The question felt heavy in her mind. She couldn't answer it. She couldn't even think about weighing the choices. How could she when she had no idea of what was to come? Her mind paused, that's it. "How do I know?" she whispered, then answer was obvious "There's no way of knowing if I am good enough or not, the only answer was to take it and find out" she thought, a little smile of confidence appearing on her lips. Her mind lightened. She fully intended to find out the answer to that question.

She laid down on her bed. Tomorrow was going to be a true test for her. More important she felt than actually becoming a Chuunin.

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Kurenai was waiting at the door. It was now 3 minutes till 3. Had all three of them bottled out? She couldn't she could blame them thinking of the pressure, but she had to admit she was surprised Naruto wasn't here. His confidence for all she had known him was unwavering and relentless. No situation was too much for him to be unable to overcome. Just as she was thinking this the footsteps of 3 individuals sounded from down the hall. She looked up and smiled. They had cut it close but they made it. Naruto lead the way a excited smiled written all over his face, the two girls looked confident enough. "What a team I have" she smiled to herself.

"I'm glad you could make it, you're a little close though, so all I will say is good luck." She said looking at each of them, a faint look of pride in her eyes.

Naruto smirked wider and the two girls nodded thankfully. The doors opened and team 4 made their way into the Chuunin Exams.

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**Sorry I wasn't able to push the story so forward in this chapter, but it seems I am remarkably good at babbling on about nothing in particular. I hope the chapter was enjoyable and I'll have the next one out as soon as possible! **


	10. The Forest of Death, Part I

**Author's Note: Aside from my now previous computer breaking down (apparently my motherboard packed in) there has been a mind block on this next chapter. The first exam, personally as I see it, everything that happened in the First exam was as I would have written it. And I had trouble re-writing it, or thinking of an alternate idea. So here's the deal. I'm skipping it. I know, I know, but I just can't muster up the patience to write about that when I have so many other things I want to be getting on with. Maybe later I will insert it just as so it's confirmed, but right now; Think what happened in the actual series and put it in this story. **

**This chapter has been rewritten, as the first time it was posted it had far too many of my mistakes in it.**

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**Chapter 10: The Forest of Death Part I**

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Naruto found himself sitting on a branch in a tree overlooking the remaining participants in the Chuunin exams. That test had taken many people out, nearly even himself and thus his team. But as the fates would have it he survived it. As he sat there, sloughed against the tree he began taking a note of the teams that made it. Ino-Shika-Chou had made it, Sasuke's team too. He also couldn't help but notice the team he'd been spying on earlier. He watched as the two he'd seen were scowling at another guy. Naruto looked at him, something seemed wrong about him. He couldn't place it; he just had something about him, an aura. He noticed he had his forehead protector sewn into his pant covering his left knee. He couldn't help but find that weird. As he found himself staring he realised it's was four strikes, he glanced back over to the other two who he supposed were his team mates. Their forehead protectors had the same symbol at least.  
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"What are you doing up there Naruto? They're about to explain the second task" Sakura called up from below. Naruto looked down to see Sakura and Hinata. He leapt down grinning at them, proud that they three at least didn't fall at the first hurdle.  
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"Alright listen up!" Anko called out, grabbing to attention of the few that she hadn't before "Welcome to the second task, and the last part of the exam most of you will be seeing!" She paused with a smirk, she was getting them into the right mood for this she could already tell "During this test it will be an all out battle royal, with no rules, allied only to your team. Your mission is simple!" she continue holding up a heaven and earth scroll "Each team will be given one of these, you mission will be to attain the other, then make it to the Tower in the middle of the forest." Murmurs broke out amongst teams about the exams, glances and gestures were made at the particularly intimidating forest behind Anko. The area was fenced off, barbed wire over the fencing, behind it there looked a very wold jungle, the tree's were huge, their branches and leave casting the ground level into a darkness that was difficult to see into.

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"Alright shut up!" Anko snapped. "This test is one of survival, you will have a time limit of 5 days on this exam" Immediately the crowd burst into gasps, and chatter. Naruto frowned, he looked at the forest. He really didn't like the idea of spending 5 days in there. "I'm not finished!" Anko continued "Inside there are plenty of things other than each other you'll need to be wary of. Including man-eating beasts and poisonous plants. However, during this time you must find food and water for yourselves and your team while keeping vigilant ready to fight for your and your enemies scroll. Now my team will hand out consent forms you'll HAVE to sign before being allowed to continue. Otherwise you death would be MY fault!" Anko said with a laugh, making the Genin all the more uneasy. "Once you and your team have all signed your forms, take it to the booth over there and you'll get your scroll. Once all teams are ready you'll be taken to a gate, from there wait for my word to begin"

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Again all the teams broke out into chatter. Hinata looked at her team wanting to say something, but couldn't think of anything. By the looks of it Sakura had the same problem. Naruto just stood there, arms folded putting all this information together. He had gotten to the part where he was being thrown into a forest full of things that wanted to eat him while being surrounded by severalty teams that would also kill him for their scroll and had become stuck on that. He felt a tight knot of panic in his throat, then was suddenly being handed a form he had to sign in case he died. Naruto took it uneasily, and attempted to absorb the words on the page.  
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Hinata looked at Naruto for a moment before looking at her own form. Like Naruto she wasn't really reading it, she was thinking how she'd never seen Naruto like this. He actually seemed worried, maybe even scared. She felt like she should say something, but didn't know what. What could she say? She was scared too.

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"Heh…" Naruto quietly chuckled. Both his team mates looked at him confused "Alright! Finally a real test where I can show everyone what I'm made of!" He cheered. Earning him the attention of most of the contestants. Sakura quickly covered his mouth, smiling at their viewers as she dragged him around the other side of the tree.

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"Are you trying to make us the primary target here or what?!" She hissed as Hinata followed to also avoid the attention of the others. "Just when I think something can actually break though that head of yours you go ahead and prove you're not smart enough to be even a little worried!"

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Naruto had his hands up defensively, trying to laugh it off. Sakura was having none of it though and continued at him. Hinata looked at them, then looked at the forest, and some how knew, they were going to be just fine. She smiled nervously.  
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"Surrounded by enemies, man-eating beasts and also an idiot. 5 days of hell" Sakura sighed. Naruto lowered his defenses and smiled.

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"You're forgetting, once we have both scrolls, we won't need to spend the rest of the time there. So all we have to do is do it quickly" Naruto offered with his grin. Sakura looked at him with a frown but then relaxed it. He had a fair enough point, she had to admit.

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Only a few minutes later they all found themselves with their team at a numbered gate. Anko watching her wristwatch carefully.

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"Begin!" She shouted. The gates snapped open, and all teams Bolted forward into the wilderness.  
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"Let's do this!" Naruto called out as he stepped inside, followed by Hinata and Sakura, both with small smiles due to Naruto confidence, inspiring their own.  
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"We'll find something we can use, and set up a trap" Kiba called out to his group as they leapt through the tree's. Sasuke and Shino made a minimal effort to show it, but agreed.  
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"You know who we're after" A certain grass ninja said to her team as them begun to follow their targets direction.  
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"Take it easy Lee, we've only just begun" Neji advised, not wanting to use too much energy just yet.  
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"I know, but I would rather find our enemies before they get the chance to find us" he yelled back. A smile on his face as the prospect of finding new and worthy enemy played on his mind.  
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"Hot blooded fool" Neji said with a smile. Secretly also eager to get into a battle.

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"Let's go after Naruto's team, I think they'll be the only group weaker than _us_" Shikamaru said simply. Not that either of his team was really listening to him. Chouji was counting and checking his vital supply of snack, while Ino just looked at him in disappointment. Not that she had really expected anything more.

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"Let's stop here for now" Naruto said, landing, turning towards his team "I guess we need some sort of a plan right?" He asked, somewhat unsure. Sakura couldn't help but be surprised. It wasn't that this was anything special, but coming from Naruto of all people, it was just surprising to hear. She nodded in agreement, along with Hinata.  
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"Well first of all" Sakura began, kneeling down prompting Naruto and Hinata to do the same and talking in a hushed tone "We need a way of identifying each other. Who knows when someone might try the transformation jutsu, so we need to be prepared."  
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Naruto nodded, he hadn't thought of that admittedly.  
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"It can't be a password, because first of all, it's too obvious, it needs to be something subtle, something someone who might be watching us hopefully won't detect." Hinata nodded in agreement to this, she hadn't considered that. At that moment she felt as though she just had a tiny insight as to exactly how clever Sakura was.  
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"I propose something like a double blink, or a momentary clenching of a fist." She said in a hushed voice.  
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"Yeah that would work…" Naruto mused to himself, secretly doubting if he was going to remember to do that all the time. Sakura looked between them for confirmation on her idea; both seemed to be with it.  
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"Alright, let's go with adjusting our headband. Remember, Naruto, it has to seem natural, like it's just a little uncomfortable, or it won't be believable." Naruto nodded with a frown, trying to burn it to memory. Hinata nodded.  
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"What about getting our hands on the Ea-" Naruto began, but his mouth was covered by Sakura  
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"First of all, don't say what scroll we have. I've thought about it and even if we somehow ask what scroll they have to try and avoid a pointless battle they could lie. If that happens we turn away thinking we saved energy when they can follow us and wait for the right moment. If we meet with another group our only option is to fight. Although I'd like to trust other teams from Konoha, our Genin test has shown me even that's not really an option." Hinata nodded, a burst of dismay hitting her. She touched her leg where it'd been broken. It seemed Sakura was right, they wouldn't be able to trust anyone while there were in here. Naruto frowned, he wanted to disagree, but he realised for now it would be best to just listen.  
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"Hinata, we'll be counting on you to identify which enemies have the scroll, and if it's the same as ours. If it is, we'll using a distracting tactic on their team, and at the right moment coordinate our attacks to take the target down. There's no point risking a head on fight if we know who has it, it'd just be best to target them, get it and go. If it isn't we'll try to retreat, it will saved us energy."  
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"I'll do my best" Hinata said with a little smile. Sakura returned it.  
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"I also have another idea I think might be worth trying" Sakura said with an excited smirk.

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Hails of senbon rained form all directions, escape was impossible. Not that he would bother even if there were. He just stood there, arms folded, letting his passive defence protect him.  
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"Is that all you have?" he asked, his toneless voice tempting his enemy to prove him wrong.  
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"Shut up you brat!" the rain ninja called, charging.  
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"Never mind, I don't care for any entertainment you could offer" Gaara responded. Without warning the sand that had risen to defend him shot towards his attacker, clutching onto him and wrapping itself around him. In the shock and horror he dropped his umbrella which Gaara casually picked up and opened, as he expressionlessly watched his sand consume the boy. All his team mates could do is watch, anything they might be able to do would probably killed their ally too.  
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"Let me go! Please! Let me go you can have anything! I swear" the terrified boy screamed out from his sandy prison as it rose and rose. Gaara didn't hear him, he only heard the voice from within himself, that called for blood.  
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"Sabaku Sōsō" he said, clenching his hand into a fist. At the same time his sand imploded with devastating force. The only thing left of the boy was the blood that now soaked the sand and rained from above.  
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Kankuro released his breath, he hated that technique. What a way to go he'd always thought. Powerless to fight against it, didn't even have time to scream before you were gone, utterly gone. He looked on as the team mates of Gaara's victim laid down a heaven scroll and attempted to run for it. But the sand was too fast, dragging them back as they kicked and screamed and clawed in defiance not to be taken, but it was pointless. Seconds later it was all over for them too. Kankuro walked forward picking up the heaven scroll.  
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"Looks like we got lucky, we can head right to the tower now." He said pocketing it.  
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"Not yet, I need more" Gaara said casting the now soaked umbrella aside. Kankuro tensed, he knew they couldn't afford to risk it here, they needed to get to the tower.  
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"There will be more later Gaara, but right now we have to get to that tower." Kankuro attempted to order. Gaara looked at him darkly and walked off in search of new prey. Kankuro hated it when he did that. He was about to should at him when he realised something. He was in a good position to appeal to Gaara's nature.  
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"Why waste time Gaara? Once this phase of the test is over the weaklings will be cleared out. Then only the strong will be remaining" Gaara paused. He looked at Kankuro for a moment.  
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"Pathetic…" Gaara said but stopped. "Fine, but if we see anyone on the way, I'm going to kill them" He said as he turned towards the tower, his siblings following.

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"Is that all you have?" She breathed heavily. Feeling him straining against her hold.  
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"Sh-Shut up!" He answered through heavy breathing, he was giving it his all, but it wasn't going to be enough. This was it… he was going to lose here and now. He could feel his muscles failing him '_No! Not yet… Just a little more…_'  
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SLAM  
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His arm hit the wood.  
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"You know you're really pathetic loosing to a girl in arm wrestling" Serrato said from his branch looking down on them.  
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"Shut up…" Kensei responded. Konata merely grinned.  
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"Want to try again?" she offered, Kensei shot her a look. "Okay, no then" she said her hands raised, as she backed away from her now moody team mate.  
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"Problem is now I can't even call you a girl without insultin-" Serrato began saying smirking when he had to stop and dodge a kunai aimed for his head. He looked at it, then down at Kensei and grinning again. He ripped the kunai from out of the tree and whirled it on his finger. There was an awkward pause, which soon become just a silence. Kensei sat himself down and inspected his sword; he drew it and carefully checked the edge of it, looking to see if it needed anything.  
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Konata sat on the edge of the leaves looking down, wondering how many were now engaged in battle. Their plan was simple; find someone high they could hide out until nightfall. If they were engaged they had the high ground thus the advantage, if they weren't they were then free to seek and engage now likely tired ninja down below. It sounded reasonable enough but it was boring. Only a few more hours left, the sun was already turning the sky its colours as it began to set. Soon afterward teams would likely be taking shifts as the other rested. But for the time being it was boring. She watched as the winds rustled the tree's, she could even swear she hear the tings of clashing kunai. The second Exam had indeed begun.

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It had been a few minutes since their trap had been sprung. Naruto panted as quietly as he could as he peered around, his back to the tree. It wasn't going as smoothly as they had planned. The plan was simple, have Naruto make 3 Kage Bunshins, they transform into the team and hang around in a semi-obvious spot, meanwhile the real team would form a triangle around them preparing to ambush anyone who would attack the clones. However their ambushed failed, and instead they were launched into an on going battle. It seemed their enemy were Ninjutsu specialists, as they able to keep Hinata on the defensive unable to use her Juken (Gentle Fist). Naruto's clones were defeated immediately and he too was forced to retreat by fire style attacks. He hadn't seen Sakura yet.  
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"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu" A call came, following by the roaring of flame. Naruto shot out of his hiding place, looking about him, he saw Hinata fighting the Ninja with fire jutsu. She dodged the multiple fireballs by side stepping and twirling, then finally leaping onto a tree. Naruto clenched his teeth, and drew a kunai, intending to attack from behind.  
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"Doton: Doryūsō" Naruto looked forwarded, eyes wide. There was another one! He didn't have time for him though a crack from below caught his attention as a spike shot it's way up from the ground. '_Shit, I'm in midair there's nothing I can do!_' he panicked. At the last moment he shoved the oncoming spike hard from the side throwing himself out of the way. It grazed his stomach but avoided a fatal hit. He fell onto a branch as he clutched his new injury. It stung pretty badly. He gritted his teeth. This wasn't going to work like this. So long as this was three individual one on one fights, they could just keep them at a range and eventually take them out. They only had two options, Naruto realised, either wait them out of Chakra and hope they can catch them, or make this a group fight. There's no sure we he knew it would work but together they took out Zabuza, the demon of the hidden mist, well his clone, but it was the same difference. He stood up, and looked at his enemy, who looked back, in a ready stance. Naruto paused. Something was coming back to him from what Kurenai-sensei had told him. What was it? Divide and corner? No that wasn't it. Divide and…. And…. Conquer. That was it! It made sense, if they could somehow make it two on one they would have a strong advantage. But how could he create that? He looked at his enemy carefully. There was something here that he was missing that was the key to taking them down. What was it? So far they had used various Ninjutsu of their element, and kunai. They had been constantly backed out of a hand to hand fight. Was that it? Naruto thought, realising the ninja wasn't about to wait forever he leapt up out of sight for the time being, he knew he had to get back to him before he engaged someone else. So quickly he performed his seal.  
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"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto called, forming several clones each drawing a kunai. They spilt. Two leapt towards the earth style ninja coming from his left and right sides. Their objective would be to survive, distract him long enough. The other shot above, moving around the fire user.  
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Naruto's clones managed to avoid another earth Jutsu, though not surprisingly they were unable to get close to him. The others were soon all in place around the fire user, who was still relentlessly attacking Hinata. She was doing alright, but the ground around her was quickly becoming scorched and too hot for her to tread on with her sandals. One clone drew two Kunai, two others drew senbon. There was no room, time or chance to make a mistake here. They threw their weapons. The other two Naruto's darted forward.  
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The Ninja dodged the kunai and looked about him, his hands coming apart. Hinata landed and after a moment of absorbing the picture saw her chance, and shot forward. The silent senbon hit the Ninja's arms. The clones that had thrown wasted no time, and shot forward too, intending to attack him while he was in midair. The ninja focused back on the two Naruto who attack with a low and mid section attack. He dodging their powerful yet clumsy attacks by leaping into the air, as Naruto intended. He looked down on Naruto with angry eyes, as he pulled out the senbon. He then noticed the three incoming. But their attacks too were clumsy; he dodged the first's kick, blocked the seconds and threw the third back where he came from. But in doing so he was now facing the other way. He didn't see Hinata's attack to his back. To him it was a sudden press to his back, then all of a sudden massive pain in his chest. He yelled out as he crashed back on the floor, then quickly lost consciousness. The four clones dispersed, the real Naruto running up next to Hinata.  
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"Does he have the scroll?" He asked, his hand instinctively returning to his wound, as he bend over panting.  
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"No, the Earth user has it" she said, focusing her Byakugan.  
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"Is it the one we need?" Naruto asked.  
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"I can't tell, he's moving about too much and is too far away. I'm sorry I can't see" Hinata said somewhat frustrated and upset.  
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"Where's Sakura?" Naruto then asked, checking the Ninja on the ground to make sure he'd lost consciousness. His head band had rocks on it.  
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"She's concealed herself, there's another fire user whose looking for her, she looks alright for the time being. If we rejoin her we'd lose our two on one advantage by making it three on two." She said thinking of the situation. Naruto looked at Hinata for a moment before nodding  
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"Alright, we'll take out this guy, get the scroll, and rejoin with her and put an end to this!" Hinata couldn't help but smile a little. Just taking down one of them was so hard, but he said it like it was nothing.  
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"Let's go, Hinata!" Naruto said, leaping up. She nodded and followed.

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**A/N: Next chapter coming up soon. By the way, sorry for all the .'s but i just hate it when it all looks cramped.**

**Spoilers for those who want to know what will happen next written in pig latin below**

Eamtay Erratosay engagesway eamtay Aigay. Insightway intoway Errato'ssay owerspay

Onclusioncay otay Arutonay ightfay

Irstfay ightnay inway ethay Orestfay ofway Eathday


	11. The Forest of Death, Part II

**A/N: As some of you have sent me mail asking if I'm starting and stopping I will answer you all here. Through recent misfortunes I have had to completely replace my old computer, and since I'm just a nitwit, I didn't save my plot drafts for my two main fanfics elsewhere so they have been lost. So my rewriting them is going slowly yes, and now you all know why. So I just ask of you a little patience while I rewrite them. This is because I cannot remember some of the details that are relevant for current chapters. As these next few chapters will have details in them that will hint to the entire plot of the Way it should have Been. (Also thinking of a title change for this story so it's easier to search for, any thoughts?)**

**If any of you also read my fanfic 'Konoha High' that is even more at a loss at this point in time. As allot of my writing and plans for the next chapter 'Halloween' have been lost also. I am writing it as you ready this, and it's planned, and on schedule if you like, to be released on Halloween itself. **

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**Chapter 11: The Forest of Death, Part II**

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Naruto watched his clones weave backwards avoiding a spear make of stone. Hinata landed next to him and looked down too. She noted his Jutsu were more physical, and slower, but unfortunately even a glancing blow would be much more dangerous. Although his attacks where smaller, they were also faster. She didn't like the change. She activated her Byakugan and studied him carefully. His chakra was strong, which explained why he could use jutsu after jutsu. Wait, she looked carefully.

"What is it?" Naruto asked, looking at her, realising something was off.

"His chakra… It's replenishing… I-I can't explain it, it's like a food pill, but it's not a burst, it's a constant….rapidly restoring" She said as she looked at him.

"Tch, all along they've been using some dirty trick..." Naruto spat.

"Something like that probably has a bad side effect, probably chakra exhaustion. By using it they're taking a big risk, for all they know we have the same scroll as they do." Hinata said thoughtfully. Naruto looked at her, and then back at the ninja, who leapt back as he performed another earth jutsu.

"So I guess it's pointless to try and wait him out?" Naruto asked, knowing the answer.

"Yeah, he'll probably know exactly when it will run out, and he'll be running before it fades, our best chance is to stop him now while he's at full strength… As bad as a strategy as that might seem." She murmured the last part. Naruto drew a kunai

"Then let's do this. I'll make more clones, and did what I did to that other guy, attack with kunai and senbon, the kunai are so visible and loud compared to the senbon hopefully he won't see them, After I can land enough hits to distract him, I'll attack physically and try to lure him into the air. There is your best shot at taking him down, right?" Naruto said, not for one moment taking his eyes off the ninja. Hinata just stared are Naruto. When did he become so… organised and collected?

"M-mm, yeah" She answered. Naruto nodded and performed a familiar seal

"Kage-Bunshin no Jutsu" he called, as several other Naruto appeared each then leaping off in different directions. Hinata leap back, down and then around, waiting for her moment.

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Anko had just finished her dango's. She threw the last stick into a tree, completing a perfect Konoha symbol. She smiled to herself as she took a sip from her mug. The second exam was starting and she would finally get to weed out this years weaklings who couldn't hack it and would have to beef up for next year. Of course some of them won't be able to come back next year… but that was the price of betting too heavily on your own strength. Or at least that's how Anko thought of it. As she lowered her drink two Chuunin exam proctor's appeared in front of her.

"Anko-san, there's something that has been discovered that we believe you ought to take a look out" Anko blinked.

"Well what is it?" She asked after a moments silence. The two before her shared a look.

"We think it would be easier if you just came and had a look" he answered. Anko couldn't help it; her curiosity was perked even though she knew it was probably gruesome.

"Well alright then, lead the way boys" She said, hopping off her rock and followed them as they hastily made their way around the forest until they arrived in a around some boulders near one of the training area's. Several Chuunin proctors were already standing around, some taking notes, while looking at three figures on the floor. When Anko got a better look her eyes shot open wide. This was _His_ Jutsu.

"Notify Lord-Hokage at once!" She snapped. For a moment they just gapped at her stupidly. Most of them were too young to really understand "Now!!" She snapped viciously, immediately two disappeared. She looked back at the bodies on the floor, observing their faces, or lack of. '_There's absolutely no doubting it…_' she thought to herself. Orochimaru was in Konoha. Or more specifically he was in the Chuunin exams. She looked over to the forest. '_What is it you're after here, you damn snake?_'

She could only bare to wait there another minute looking through the information they knew before getting up again.

"Lord Hokage will be sending ANBU black ops, when they get here give them all the information you have. I'm going in the Forest." She said. Several of the Chuunin still did not grasp what was going on, so were alarmed by the mention of ANBU. Still they nodded unsurely and watched as Anko sped off towards the forest.

She gritted her teeth as she darted from tree to tree. The sun had already set, it's last traces of light disappearing. Her chances of finding him got dimmer with the light but she'll be damned if she didn't try. Absolutely anything is better than sitting around waiting for reports to be exchanged. Even dying right here and now. So long as she died fighting it would be worth it. She had vowed a long time ago to make him pay. And she intended with every fibre of her being to make good on that payment.

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"There, you'll be fine after you get some rest to recover a little" Tenten said after finishing bandaging Lee. She sat next to Neji, who sat at the entrance to the small hollowed out branch high in the tree's. They had only found it thanks to Neji's Byakugan. She looked at him, from the corner of her eyes as he watched ever vigilant over the forest, lit only by the moons bathe.

Neji's mind was focused on their most recent encounter. Rain village ninja. None of which seemed at first notably strong. One of them used a sword, though clearly was years off mastering the weapon, it had taken little time for Neji to defeat him. The other was a girl, who seemed to fight on even ground with Tenten. But the last guy was a dilemma. In the time it had taken Neji to defeat his enemy and check his person for the scroll, he had neutralised Lee to the point of being incapacitated. Lee didn't seem to have any major injuries, save several bruises. But his interpretation of the fight was… disturbing.

"Neji, did you see what the deal with the guy Lee fought? What he's saying… what he's claiming that guy can do. Is it even possible?" Tenten asked, unable to hide the concern in her voice. Neji said nothing, constructing his answer carefully before speaking it.

"From what I could tell he had additional routes in his Chakra circulatory system. It's very different from anyone else's I've seen. Based on that and what Lee is _claiming_ I can only guess it's a Kekkai Genkai of sorts. There's nothing else I am aware of that would be a plausible explanation." Neji said, still absorbing the information himself. Tenten thought about it, and then frowned. '_But there's more to it that that. Not only is his overall circulatory system larger, thereby enabling his ability. I'm certain the larger system affects him as it could anyone else… could it be his extra systems allow for a more advanced system? If that's true, then he's more than the rest of us…_"

"So, how can you beat someone like that? Does your Juken work on him?" She asked, breaking his line of thought.

"In theory it should be extra effective against him, as our attacks attack the chakra circulatory system. But in fact it's probably just the opposite. Because to our attack there are no resistances there is no need for penetration with our attacks, so instead of it inflicting more damage as there is more to damage, it instead would get soaked up by his 'extra' chakra system. That means my attacks need to do enough damage to the outer system before it can damage the interior, unless I can attack from an angle to avoid them. Doing so would be something I can't learn until I fight him in which I am unsure as to how I would fair… All in all, Juken would have a strong disadvantage" Neji answered. He knew this was all theory, but he had to be realistic, and this was how it seemed.

"That guy… Just the fact there's someone out there like that is scary." Tenten said. Neji nodded in agreement.

"At the very least I did not expect anyone of that strength would be here" he replied.

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"Hey, hey! That hurts!" Naruto wined. Sakura scowled.

"Shut up Naruto! This wouldn't even be a problem if you'd be more careful" she said as she continued to dress the wound. Hinata was preparing the bandages so they were ready for Sakura to apply to Naruto's side wound where he'd been clipped. Hinata made glances at the wound and couldn't help but wince. It'd torn the skin, and looked very painful. Though according to Naruto it wasn't that bad she didn't understand how he could say that.

"Let Hinata do this, I'm sure she's got gentler hands because you're killing me here. Better off leaving it undressed!" Naruto whined, Foolishly. Sakura pressed the next line on hard causing Naruto to yelp. Hinata couldn't help a momentary smile at his comment. She knew he was just complaining because it stung, but it felt nice he even then would think of her. She stopped herself from daydreaming as her bandages would suffer the consequences.

"Nonsense!" She hissed as she roughly laid it on taking pleasure from his cries of pain. Hinata looked on worriedly but dared not say anything. She used pasted some of her ointment onto the bandages before handing them to Sakura. Who had clamed down and was looking concerned. How did she say what she wanted to say. Naruto wouldn't listen anyway she could think of. He had to start being more careful. Little did she know Hinata was thinking something along the same lines. But neither could really decide on how to go about saying it. To a lesser extent if it even needed saying, it obviously hurt, so would something to drill into Naruto really be worth anything? Probably not. After all, however dense he was, he wasn't stupid. Atleast not most of the time

"Okay, you're all done. But make sure to take it easy for a few days" Sakura said pulling away. Naruto slowly and carefully sat up, and pulled his shirt down, and his jacket back on. Both torn though, revealing his bandages. Hinata put her medical items back into their container, and slid it back into her bag. Naruto lent back against one of the tree's they were hiding in-between.

"You think we'll be alright here?" He asked looking about. To him it felt a little exposed.

"Yeah, it's fine, though it looks poorly hidden from here from outside this is actually very well concealed. Well, it will do enough for now" she said, her wariness evident. She unhooked her pouch and slide it behind her wedging it in between the ground and the tree.

"So, we stay here tonight then…?" Naruto asked, softly touching his bandages. He could feel their effects working, albeit not as fast as he would have preferred.

"Then before the sun rises we head to the tower" Sakura confirmed. They got lucky, that team had the scroll they needed. "Alright, we'll take shifts sleeping. Naruto you'll be on last so you can rest a little first. Hinata, could I ask you to start? I just don't know if I can manage it just yet." Hinata nodded with a reassuring smile.

"S-sure" she answered, she checked her watch and set a mental note of when to change. She was already sitting on the edge, so she just turned to the side. It wasn't long before both her team mates were fast asleep and left Hinata to her thoughts. She kept a careful eye out, warning her as much as the moons light would allow. Every so often she found herself looking at Naruto's wound. Each time she did she felt a twinge of guilt shoot through her. They allowed themselves to get separated so easily through the ambush attempt. If it were anyone else but Naruto they would have each been cornered and… Hinata didn't want to think of what then.

She couldn't help but wonder if they were going to be alright. They'd gotten lucky today. She would be lying if she wasn't worried about the 3rd task. She knew what it was. She had been twice before with her father to watch her cousin fight in it. He had to take it twice. A series of one on one fights. Hinata didn't have to take any time knowing this wasn't her strong suit. Maybe she could pull through if she was against other hand to hand fighters. But today taught her a Ninjutsu enemy would possibly be her worst match up. She would also be effective against Genjutsu. Back in the academy she could always ace through those because of her Byakugan. She supposed if anyone made it to that stage with Genjutsu it wouldn't be like the academy, but she still had a strong advantage… She looked at the moon. Whatever was ahead would be hard. But… She knew it always would be. That's one of the challenges of the path of the ninja. Everyone would always be giving it their all. She would just have to give that little bit more. She looked at Naruto. '_Like you always do. Right, Naruto-kun?_'

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"He awake yet?" Serrato asked in a somewhat bored tone.

"No, that guy really did a number on him" Konata replied in a sigh. Kensei had been out of it for hours now. They had been taking shifts to guard him and search for possible targets. Unfortunately after he'd been knocked out they had to pull back. They couldn't wager the team wouldn't use him as a hostage. Serrato knelt down beside her, and softly back handed tapped Kensei's cheek with his hand.

"Dammit Kensei, where'd all that fightin spirit go?" he murmured. Truthfully, Serrato didn't really mind Kensei. Not really, he wasn't about to consider him a friend, and in his heart he would shoot to kill if they fought. But in his own weird way that would be out of respect not to hold back. While against contradictory to himself he wouldn't be aghast if he killed Kensei, he did care about him. On a minimal level.

"Want to take a break and rest. I'm sure plenty of teams are going to be running around early in the morning hoping for a sneak attack. Early bird gets the worm and all that." She said resting a hand on her waist. Serrato nodded from where he was.

"Yeah… After all, the early worm gets eaten." He said with a smirk. Konata looked for a moment. She could only hope he wasn't being literal.

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**A/N End of chapter. Shorter than most I know, but it didn't feel right to start writing about the following morning. I'll save that for the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed and noticed as few of my mistakes as possible. **

**I also hope you are not finding the new team boring. Obviously there is allot (intended at least) of mystery about Serrato and his abilities. So you will be seeing plenty more of them for the time being, at least up until the invasion of Konoha. I assure you they will have their own, rather large, part to play when that time comes. **

**If they stay after that will be up to you guys & girls. I won't make you read on characters if you tell me you don't really interest you. **

**As a final note. I am aware there isn't much time set on the main team. Personally I irks me when a story gets divided among a bunch of characters in story X when most of them I don't care about. For now attention will be divided, but only really along as it needs to be. I will be returning my focus on Naruto, Hinata, Sakura and to a lesser extent Sasuke soon. **


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